2015 HFTP Executive Vendor Advisory Council Meeting by HFTP

Dear 2015 Executive Vendor Advisory Council: This document contains information to help you in participating at the 2015 Executive Vendor Advisory Council Meeting, taking place Tuesday, November 11, 2014 at the Courtyard & Residence Inn by Marriott Austin Downtown in Austin, Texas. The Meeting will take place in the Pecos Room. Internet access will be provided in the meeting for council members to access documents during discussions. However, please review all the documents in the packet prior to the meeting; the packet contains the following documents for your reference: - Meeting Agenda - Initiatives at HITEC 2014 - HITEC 2014 Program - HITEC 2014 Special Report Hotel Confirmation Numbers Executive Vendor Advisory Council Austin Hotel Confirmation Numbers (CLICK HERE) Planning Survey Please note, we are asking the ENTIRE council (including those unable to attend) to take the short Planning Survey that is located within the cover letter or via the link below PRIOR to the meeting. The results will be used to assist in identifying topics of discussion for the HITEC Advisory Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meeting. HITEC 2015 Planning Survey> Again this year, we are holding a casual reception with the HITEC Advisory Council on Tuesday, November 11 from 6:00 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9:00 PM. Please make every effort to attend so you can get to know your fellow council members. There will plenty of food and drink. The dress code for the meeting is business casual (khakis and polo shirts, etc.). If I can be of further assistance, please contact me at (800) 646-4387, +1 (512) 220-4023, email Jennifer.Lee@hftp.org . Thank you for your support of HFTP as well as HITEC and I look forward to seeing all of you in Austin. Jennifer Lee Director of Marketing Vendor Advisory Council Staff Liaison

EXECUTIVE VENDOR ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA Courtyard & Residence Inn by Marriott Austin Downtown Austin, Texas USA Tuesday, November 11, 2014 8:30 – 9:00 a.m. Council Breakfast - Pecos Room I.

Call to Order, Welcome, Introductions and HFTP Update Frank Wolfe, CAE HFTP CEO

II.

Discussion of New Council Responsibilities and Mission

III.

Global Expansion

IV. Education Discussion - HITEC Education - Webinar Topics Noon – 1:00 p.m. Council Lunch V. Exhibits Discussion - HITEC - HFTP Annual Convention & Tradeshow VI. Q&A VII. 4:00 p.m. Closing Remarks and Adjourn

HITEC 2014 Initiatives -

HITEC Digital Den – We continually are building out this space in the main lobby with couches, chairs, ottomans to allow folks to relax and get connected. In the space we’ve had a Video Wall displaying our Twitter Feed. We had a recharge zone where people could charge their various devices. This was also the home of what used to be referred to as the Cybernet Center where individuals could check their email or print session handouts.

HITEC Special Report - The issue was printed and was available inside every HITEC bag distributed to attendees. Thank you to all of our authors and peer-reviewers. You can see an online copy that was this was included in the Planning Packet for our meeting.

Express Reg – Based on recommendations made by the Making HITEC High-Tech Subcommittee, HFTP implemented a new registration initiative that streamlined the registration process called ExpressReg. All HITEC attendees received a final confirmation code with a QR code within the confirmation. Attendees simply printed this confirmation out or brought it on your smart device – scanned this at one of the many ExpressReg stations. The station then immediately printed their badge and associated tickets. Attendees then simply had to grab a badge holder from the badge holder pick-up station and then they were on their way.

HITEC Mobile Experience - We were excited for the fourth year in a row to launch our HITEC mobile component, however, this year we offered the HITEC Mobile Experience. This was not an app that requires a download or any visit to an app store. The HITEC Mobile Experience is compatible with all major smart phone devices. Feedback from the Making HITEC High-Tech Subcommittee was utilized to create some of its features and now the conference app is in consideration for best of the industry award.

Women of Technology – This year included in the HITEC Special Report were profiles of women working in the hospitality IT industry. Each individual had a full page profile in the publication. Also, a special reception was held for these individuals immediately prior to the HITEC Opening Party.

Google Glass Demo – At HITEC attendees were offered the opportunity to experience Google Glass first-hand in both the main lobby as well as at the HFTP Booth during exhibit hall hours. HFTP partnered with a University who was doing research on the effect of Google Glass on the hospitality industry. Each individual experiencing the product was asked to take a short survey following their experience. The research results will be available in January 2015 and will be shared with HFTP for industry-wide distribution.

HITEC Virtual Tour – During HITEC 2014 a film crew filmed the set-up of the hall as well as walking around the Expo Hall outside of Hall Hours. The result was an incredibly in-depth view of the expo hall and what HITEC has to offer. The virtual tour will be utilized in future marketing campaigns as even embedded in the tours were videos from HFTP staff discussion all of the offerings at HITEC including the expo and education.

Self-Scanning for Session Credit – For the second year HITEC educational sessions offered the attendees the option of scanning their badge to verify their attendance at educational sessions for continuing education credit instead of completing a paper form. However, paper forms were still on hand for the traditionalists. New in 2014 - Based on a recommendation from the HITEC Advisory Council, each scanner was given a prominent display with listed instructions so attendees could easily identify the scanners and their purpose.

HITEC Help & Housing Desk- Back by popular demand the HITEC Help Desk was located in the Digital Den. This desk has an HFTP staff member to assist with quick questions any attendees might have ranging from “Where’s registration?” or “What room is XYZ session in?” New in 2014 – a HITEC Housing representative was also stationed at this desk to assist attendees with general hotel items or issues. This was a popular feature at the desk and will return for HITEC 2015.

HITEC Twitter Feeds – These were located throughout the Los Angeles Convention Center: 1 at Digital Den, 1 in the Education Hallway, and the other in the HFTP Booth. Our official hashtag was #HITEC.

HITEC Keynote Meet & Greets – We moved around the Keynote Meet & Greets at HITEC 2014. Due to the amount of activities scheduled for Monday a Meet & Greet was not scheduled with the Opening Keynote but was scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday. The Meet & Greets went VERY well with lines to meet the speakers looping around the corner. The first 50 attendees in line received a copy of their book with the opportunity to get the speakers to sign a copy if they wanted.

HITEC Guest Bloggers – In 2014 we invited 3 guest bloggers to HITEC 2014 to help promote the conference as well as continue to build a following on HFTP’s Connect Blog. These bloggers received a complimentary registration in exchange for at least 1 blog post a day regarding their day at HITEC.

HITEC Super Session/Boot Camp Layouts – These rooms received special marketing within the education hallway with a large banner announcing their location. The rooms were also set with comfy seating in the front, up-lighting around the room, and a HITEC logo banner as a back-drop. The original intent of the Super Session/Boot Camp sessions were to be a mini-keynote room touching on the assigned topics in a general strategic way allowing the 60 min concurrent sessions to explore the topics in more finite detail.

HITEC Opening Party – The HITEC Opening Party was held for an extended period of time for to allow attendees more time to access the event. Also, providing ample opportunity for attendees to visit their hotel rooms before going to the Opening Party. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and bars were available for attendees to enjoy while being entertained by a Hollywood DJ.

Tech Talks – For the second year at HITEC, there were 15 minute lightning fast sessions that were held on the show floor in the HFTP Booth. Every day of the show 4 talks happened at the same time with two time slots being offered each day. Speakers again came from varying backgrounds: students, hoteliers, allied associations, and even start-up companies.

HITEC SCANvenger Hunt – Attendees broke out their smart phones and tablets to participate in this game that took attendees on a quest throughout HITEC 2014. Attendees were tasked with looking for the special signs with QR codes located at the booths of participating exhibitors and throughout the conference. Once attendees scanned the codes that linked to questions, and each time they answered a question correctly they earned points. Attendees were watching the leader board on their phones and at the Recharge Zones to check out the competition and to keep track of your points as they played. There were three levels of qualification, and winners were announced at the end of the show, earning a chance to win one of the following prizes: Extreme Competitor — $500 Cash Overachiever — Amazon Fire TV Qualifier — Fitbit

Speaker Orientation –For the second time, HFTP recorded a webinar for Speaker Orientation hoping that speakers would take the time to listen to the 15-20 minute presentation offering some final tips and some items they may find useful. The response to the format has been EXCELLENT! These recordings have had more viewings then when HFTP used to offer live webinars for Speaker Orientations.

Page Head Overview 2014 Special Features.............................................. 2 SCANVenger Hunt.................................................... 2 HITEC Advisory Council............................................ 6 HFTP Executive Vendor Advisory Council................. 8 HITEC 2014 Sponsors............................................. 10 General Information............................................... 12 HFTP International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame....................... 16 Certified Hospitality Technology Professionals (CHTP)........................... 18 HFTP Board of Directors......................................... 84

education Event Map.............................................................. 20 Schedule-at-a-Glance............................................. 22 Rights Statement................................................... 23 Monday Schedule.................................................. 24 Tuesday Schedule................................................... 30 Wednesday Schedule............................................. 34 Thursday Schedule................................................. 40 Antitrust Statement............................................... 43 Exhibitor Tutorials.................................................. 44 Speakers................................................................. 46

exhibits Exhibitors-at-a-Glance........................................... 52 Exhibit Hall Floor Plan............................................ 54 Technology Guide.................................................. 56 2014 Exhibitors — By Company............................ 58 2014 Exhibit Supporters......................................... 58 2014 Exhibitors — By Product............................... 76

table of contents Advertiser Index AirWatch by VMware .............................................................. 4 American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute .................. 47 Aptech Computer Systems, Inc. ............................................. 13 Broadvine .............................................................................. 56 Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP)............. 54 Cleverdis ............................................................................... 31 Comcast Business ............................................................. 7, 56 Cornell School of Hotel Administration ................................. 35 Eleven ................................................................................... 57 HITEC 2014 Mobile Experience® ........................................... 59 HITEC 2014 Guest Bloggers .................................................... 8 HITEC 2014 Opening Party .................................................... 59 HITEC 2014 Post Show Resources ......................................... 86 HITEC 2014 SCANVenger Hunt ............................................. 29 Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP)... 85

Hospitality Technology Magazine .......................................... 25 Hospitality Upgrade .............................................................. 21 HOSPACE .............................................................................. 55

HOTELS Magazine ................................................................. 39 Infor ...................................................................................... 57 Merchant Link.......................................................... Back Cover RCN Business Services............................................................. 9 Samsung Electronics ..................................... Inside Back Cover Shift4 Corporation ........................................Inside Front Cover VingCard Elsafe ..................................................................... 15

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals 11709 Boulder Ln, Ste 110 • Austin, TX 78726-1832 (800) 646-4387 or +1 (512) 249-5333 Fax: +1 (512) 249-1533 membership@hftp.org • www.hftp.org • www.hitec.org

© Copyright 2014 by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals; Austin, Texas. All rights reserved. No part of this HITEC Program and Buyer’s Guide shall be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical; including photocopying, recording or in any information or retrieval system, without written permission from Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals. HFTP® and HITEC® are registered service marks of Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals.

HITEC 2014

2014 Highlights Exhibitor SCANVenger Hunt

Exhibit Hall Education

Participate for a chance to win $500

Attendees have three educational opportunities to get in-depth details about the products and services on the show floor, plus have a thoughtprovoking conversation about today's technology trends.

Break out your smart phones or tablets to participate in a game that takes you on a hunt throughout HITEC 2014. Look for the special signs with QR codes located at the booths of participating exhibitors and throughout the conference. Scan the codes that link to questions, and each time you answer a question correctly you earn points. Watch the leader board on your phone or at the Recharge Zones to check out the competition and keep track of your points as you play. There are three levels of qualification, and winners will be announced at the end of the show, earning a chance to win one of the Get started by scanning following prizes: this QR Code Extreme Competitors — $500 Cash Overachievers — Amazon Fire TV Qualifier — FitBit

How to Play 1. If you do not have a QR code reader, download one from your app store (we recommend using the i-nigma QR code reader for best experience). 2. Scan the QR code on this page to get registered. 3. At HITEC look for the SCANVenger Hunt™ codes at the booths of participating exhibitors, as well as throughout the conference areas. 4. Scan the codes and answer the questions correctly to earn points. 5. Check the leader board on your phone or at the Recharge Zones to see game stats.

Participating Exhibitors Exhibitor Booth # Connect Call Global, LLC ..................................................757 Electro-Media Design, Ltd. .............................................1045 Infor .................................................................................701 innRoad .........................................................................1360 iTesso – Enterprise Lodging Systems ..............................1449 Merchant Link ..................................................................626 MSI (Multi-Systems, Inc.) ...............................................1019 Shift4 Corporation .........................................................1535

HITEC 2014

TechTours

Wednesday • 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. Take a break from the classroom with a guided exhibit hall tour focusing on a specific technology: Big Data, Business Intelligence and Data/Credit Card Security. Available to those with a Full Registration.

Tech Talks

Tuesday / Wednesday • 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Thursday • 11:00 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. HFTP Booth #455 Free-form, 15-minute education sessions on the show floor. Each round features four discussion topics, and participants are free to move from topic to topic. Available to all attendees.

Exhibitor Tutorials

Tuesday and Wednesday • 10:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. West Hall, Back of Aisle 700 This returning feature offers information on exhibitors' products and services in a non-sales environment. Available to all attendees.

Buyer’s Guide Important Show Reference HITEC.org offers a great planning tool that is useful during and after the show. The HITEC Buyer’s Guide offers visitors a number of search functions, extensive information on each exhibitor and an easy-to-navigate, realtime floor plan. When looking through the Buyer’s Guide, attendees can browse the most up-to-date alphabetical list of exhibitors and search by product, keyword, booth number, company name and location.

Education Features

HITEC Tech Features

Tech Boot Camps Monday, June 23

NEW! Mobile Web Site www.hitec2014.org

This program offers intensive overviews of the industry's latest trends on the first day of the conference to help attendees prepare for the days to come. Topics include: PCI Compliance, Building a Tech Hotel, Project Management and System Selection. PCI Compliance Boot Camp sponsored by

Keynote Sessions Monday, June 23

Place Your Security Efforts Towards the Real Risks Presented by Douglas Merrill, former Google CIO.

Tuesday, June 24

The Collaborative Economy Presented by Rachel Botsman, social innovator and author.

Thursday, June 26

Corporate Security: The Top 10 Things You Should be Doing to Secure Your Company Presented by Eric O'Neill, former FBI operative.

Super Sessions Participate in discussions on the biggest industry topics in a lounge-like setting that encourages multi-level dialogue.

Concurrent Sessions Continue your exploration with hour-long sessions that offer a detailed look at essential industry topics.

CPE Tracking Scanners Look in the back of each education session room for scanners that will track your continuing education credits. To input your session attendance, simply walk up to the scanner and scan the barcode printed on your badge, listen for the ping and YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE TRACKED!

The new HITEC 2014 ExperienceÂŽ acts as a 24/7 info desk by providing all attendees with immediate access to all HITEC related information from their personal mobile device. The site features a logical way to view the conference and education schedule, exhibitor information, transportation options, hotel information and lots of helpful local information. Developed by Interactive Sites (Booth #259), the HITEC 2014 Experience is also powered by Cisco Systems (Booth #1126) to provide a unique approach to mobility.

Wi-Fi

Complimentary Wi-Fi will be provided to HITEC attendees in the West Hall Lobby, Digital Den, HFTP Membership Lounge and on the 500 level. There is a Cisco-staffed WiFi Help Desk in the Digital Den to assist attendees with Wi-Fi questions. Sponsored by

Social Media

Find the most up-to-date information and news on HITEC via LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter (#HITEC or @HFTP). Search for HITEC/HFTP in each of these outlets.

Twitter Walls

Use the HITEC hashtag #HITEC so your comments about HITEC can be featured on the prominent Twitter walls throughout the conference.

Guest Bloggers

HITEC has recruited three guest bloggers with multiple perspectives to write about their HITEC experiences. Find their posts at www.hftpconnect.org.

Virtual Tradeshow

HFTP has partnered with XplorIt to create a virtual trade show that will allow visitors to walk the West Hall of the convention center and see HITEC as its happening. Attendees will be able to watch as the West Hall is transformed from an empty space through a time-lapse of the set-up to the final reveal of the big show. Stop by the XplorIT counter at HFTP Booth #455 or check it out on your own laptop and virtually see yourself walking the exhibit space floor. Start your virtual tour at: hitec.xplorit.com

Sponsored by

8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

º TechTours: Up-close Look at What's on the Market Meet at Entrance to West Hall º Guestroom Technology: What Do Guests Really Want and What Should They Want | Room 515 A º Search, Social, Mobile: The Challenges of Managing Customer Acquisition and Pricing | Room 515 B

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Exhibits Open | West Hall

10:30 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Exhibitor Tutorials | West Hall, Back of Aisle 700

11:00 – 11:15 a.m. • 2:00 – 2:15 p.m. Tech Talks | West Hall, Booth #455

2:15 – 2:45 p.m.

Beverage Break | 500 Level

2:45 – 3:45 p.m. º The Mission of Motion: Priorities for Enterprise Mobility Room 511 A

Morning Jam: Design and Build the Software Product of Your Dreams Room 513 | Course #LAHT28 | Code T Join this interactive session to work with your peers on ideating and developing the future of hospitality technology products. This session will kick off day three of HITEC and will last through the week with meetups and virtual content. This is an experiential learning opportunity that is hosted by facilitation experts. Please join us if you are serious about advancing your career and our industry. Breakfast will be served. Dan Berger is chief executive officer for Social Tables. Trevor Lynn is chief marketing officer for Social Tables.

º PII/Data Protection: How Far Does the Data Reach? Room 511 BC º Managing BYOD In Your Corporate Environment Room 513 º Bandwidth: Is Enough Ever Enough? | Room 514

Presented by

8:30 – 10:00 a.m.

º Reputation Management: To Be or Not to Be (In Control) | Room 518

3:45 – 4:15 p.m.

Beverage Break | 500 Level

4:15 – 5:15 p.m. º Birds of a Feather | Room 511 A º Pitching Your Project | Room 511 BC º Leveraging BYOD, Empowering Your Guest and Yielding Guest Behavior | Room 513 º Career Path to the Top: Skill Sets That Take You to a Top-level Position | Room 514 º DRM in the Cloud: A New Approach to Disaster Recovery Room 518

HITEC 2014

TechTours — Up-close Look at What's on the Market Meet at Entrance to West Hall | Course #LAHT29 | Code T Before the exhibit hall even opens, take a guided tour to visit a small group of exhibitors who specialize in a specific technology category — either Big Data, Business Intelligence and Data/Credit Card Security. The tour takes you to four different booths for a 15 minute presentation. At each stop, the exhibitor demonstrates a unique aspect of the product to help educate tour participants on the capabilities of technologies in the marketplace.

Guestroom Technology: What Do Guests Really Want and What Should They Want Room 515 A | Course #LAHT30 | Code T Technology gadgets come with a lot of sparkly, bells and whistles which make it hard to see past the flash to the practical nature of the device. Skip the temptation to outfit your guest room with unnecessary technology by identifying what guests really use today and where these uses will trend in the coming years. Make investments that will hold for the long-term. Moderator Terence Ronson is managing director with PertLink Limited and a member of the HITEC Advisory Council. Fred Crespo is the director of technology and business development with Samsung Electronics. Josh Weiss is vice president of brands and guest technology with Hilton Worldwide.

Search, Social, Mobile: The Challenges of Managing Customer Acquisition and Pricing Room 515 B | Course #LAHT31 | Code T Just when you think you know what is happening in the digital world, it changes. Social is morphing into search, everything is moving to mobile platforms and determining which sites really drive your business becomes essential with so many involved in the hotel sales process. What are the implications for price optimization? How can a small chain or independent find a place in this marketplace? What are the challenges facing the large brands? This session will discuss the ways that hotels can cope with a burgeoning array of digital opportunities. Moderator Cindy Estis Green is co-founder and CEO with Kalibri Labs, an inductee to the HFTP International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame and a member of the HITEC Advisory Council. Rogers Ares is vice president of global analytics with Hyatt Hotels Corp. Chris Brogan is vice president of strategy and analytics for Hyatt Hotels Corp. Kristie Goshow is senior vice president with the Viceroy Hotel Group. Loren Gray is vice president of digital strategy with Standing Dog Interactive.

wednesday

8:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10:00 a.m. continued

Co-produced with

HITEC 2014 35

wednesday

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Exhibits Open West Hall

10:30 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. Exhibitor Tutorials West Hall, Back of Aisle 700 Information on exhibitors' products and services in a non-sales environment. A description of Wednesday's Exhibitor Tutorials are on page 45.

2:15 – 2:45 p.m. Beverage Break 500 Level Sponsored by

2:45 – 3:45 p.m.

Managing BYOD In Your Corporate Environment Room 513 | Course #LAHT40 | Code T There is really no stopping the wave of BYOD within the corporate environment as work flow shifts to mobile applications. Take a proactive approach by being aware of the risks, understanding the evolution of mobile devices and leveraging their use correctly. John Marshall is chief executive officer with AirWatch by VMware. Bandwidth: Is Enough Ever Enough? Room 514 | Course #LAHT41 | Code T It never fails, just when you install a bandwidth upgrade, you once again start feeling the pinch of limited space. How can you get a pipeline that will serve for years? Start by setting general rules for assessing bandwidth needs based on the hotel size, market and clients. Then see what options are available to allow for further upgrades. Also see what flexible options you have in the meantime, like aggregating higher end with lower end to manage failover situations. Kathy Spellacy is IT project manager with White Lodging Services. Dan Verkuehlen is hotel technology manager with TMI Hospitality.

The Mission of Motion: Priorities for Enterprise Mobility Room 511 A | Course #LAHT38 | Code T Keep important operational details close at the hands of management with a mobile corporate dashboard. See what elements are involved, including definitions of key data sets required from in-house legacy systems; as well as which external data sources can be included. This session will also review how a mobile corporate dashboard can contribute to increased revenue and help guest-facing staff deliver a better guest experience. Bernard Ellis is vice presdient of industry strategy with Infor and Ronald Strecker, CHAE, CHTP is chief financial officer with Al J. Schnieder Company.

Reputation Management: To Be or Not to Be (In Control) Room 518 | Course #LAHT42 | Code T In a digital world overwhelmed by online commentary, how can a hotel realistically and effectively manage its online reputation? Take control by using best practices for managing consumer reviews, creating appropriate marketing strategies, incorporating feedback back into operations, and understanding if or how social commentary should alter pricing practices. Ellis Connolly is vice president with Trust You. Paul Wood is vice president of revenue management with Greenwood Hospitality Group.

PII/Data Protection: How Far Does the Data Reach? Room 511 BC | Course #LAHT39 | Code T Identification and evaluation of information assets, including personally identifiable information (PII), is a critical success factor in selecting risk controls. To begin, create the building blocks to risk control by establishing data handling standards. From there examine how far the data reaches and implement security controls in these areas, including the use and collection by third parties and all technology users within the operation. Lynn Goodendorf , CISSP, CIPP is director of information security with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.

3:45 – 4:15 p.m.

HITEC 2014

Co-produced with Beverage Break 500 Level Sponsored by

Quick 15-minute, free-form education sessions available to all attendees. All Tech Talks are in the HFTP Booth #455 in West Hall.

11:00 – 11:15 a.m. Beyond the Cloud A talk on security, with a focus on credit cards and PCI compliance. Some of the fear of moving to the cloud is the fear of security, which really is fear of the unknown. Did you know that you are actually safer going into the cloud? We’ll take a look at some of the aspects of what you need to consider when going through your PCI compliance checklist. Larry Gorman is senior director of IT with SkyTouch Technology. Emerging Trends in Immersive Media Explore the evolution of the Web and mobile, from the written word and still images to the boom in bandwidth and its ramifications on emerging technologies that bring the hospitality industry to life online. Gain a quick summary overview of various platforms in use and the future of virtual exploration technologies. Greg Murtha is president with Xplorit Multimedia Technologies. Digital Print As more and more guests bring their own mobile devices, why do hotels still serve printed newspapers, magazines and in-room compendium to guests? Foli is a platform that enables hotels to serve digital newspapers, magazines and the hotels' own content on guests' own mobile devices during guests' hotel stay. It is very easy for hotel to provision Foli service and it is very simple for guests to use the service. With Foli service, hotels can improve guest experience, reduce cost, generate more venue and go green! Henry He is founder and chief executive officer with Foli.

2:00 – 2:15 p.m. Mobile Proximity Opens Doors… and a Whole LOT More Every travel brand wants the ability to offer the elusive, highly compelling “something extra” that travelers come to prefer and will recommend to their friends. Could it be that the key is right under your nose — or more accurately, in your guest’s pocket? Every day it becomes clearer just how much the smartphone is revolutionizing the world. What if guests could use the computer in their pocket to bypass the hotel check-in counter, securely open their door without the traditional room key, and adjust climate and TV preferences? What if this was just the beginning of what they were able to do and a premise-based ecosystem could actually open the door to lifelong, loyal patrons of your brand? Ken Brown is president and chairman with the Y!kes Corporation.

Hospitality Moves Into the Business Intelligence Revolution The availability of true Business Intelligence Platforms is no longer limited to the large enterprise, IT centric organizations. The global shift to cloud computing, coupled with a considerable drop in the cost of “Big Data” management platforms is revolutionizing the landscape of the hospitality marketplace. Access to these new, affordable and cognitive intelligence platforms has, for the first time, opened the window for true performance visibility into the past, the present and most importantly the future. Randy Choplin is chief executive officer with Broadvine.

wednesday

Tech Talks

Security Beyond Compliance Recent breaches prove that PCI compliance is no guarantee of security. In many ways, this “checkbox security” mindset actually hampers IT security. Don’t be the next target for data thieves. This session focuses on the need for Security Beyond Compliance® and introduces tools currently available to remove payment card data without sacrificing business functionality. Bob Lowe is vice president of business development with Shift4. Creativity + Innovation = Increased Branding and Revenue Deliver everlasting guest experiences using innovative technologies like digital signage, Bluetooth Low Energy, inexpensive Beacons, mobile device connectivity and more. Explore how these technologies are being used today for creating additional brand identity and revenue opportunities using indoor wayfinding, party member/ID guest check-in solutions, customizable cloud message creation and scheduling for digital signs (staff), guest service notifications (in-room, restaurant, spa, etc), augmented reality in mobile applications, BYOD guest devices and more. With connectivity of all devices, all screens, all platforms now the expectation, it is more important than ever to understand how you can provide what your guest expects. Chris Ruff is chief executive officer with UIEvolution, Inc.

HITEC 2014 37

wednesday

4:15 – 5:15 p.m. Birds of a Feather Room 511 A | Course #LAHT43 | Code T Geek out on all your favorite tech topics with others who can talk the talk right back. In this informal session, meet professionals from across the industry who share your passion and distinctive work experiences in a relaxed social environment. This free form gathering is conducive for discussing issues and trends, and perhaps developing resolutions together. Refreshments will be served to make this a true networking session. Take this opportunity to come meet your fellow birds of a feather. Moderator Allison Morris, CHTP is corporate director of IT for American Casino & Entertainment Properties LLC. Sponsored by

Pitching Your Project Room 511 BC | Course #LAHT44 | Code T You've done the research and are confident that your project will be a needed addition to the organization. But how do you convince the rest of the team? Learn how to effectively get others on board by knowing your audience (who are you pitching to), the approximate ROI and the organization's fiscal cycle. In this session a panel of experts will discuss their own methods for presenting a project to get all on board. Leveraging BYOD, Empowering Your Guest and Yielding Guest Behavior Room 513 | Course #LAHT45 | Code T Mobile devices are increasingly becoming an inseparable part of our daily lives. This is also true for your hotel guests and their ever evolving expectations. This session will introduce you to the latest in guest-based BYOD services and applications. The panel of experts will discuss trends in BYOD related guest behavior, opportunities on yielding guest behavior, empowering your guest through BYOD to enhance the overall experience and gain a competitive edge. Moderator Galen Collins, Ph.D. is a professor with Northern Arizona University. Kerry Brock is vice president of sales with the RSI Group. Thomas Castleberry, MCSE, MCSA, MCT, MCP is executive vice president and COO with Skywire.com. Jeremiah Karl is point of sale business manager with Hewlett Packard.

HITEC 2014

Career Path to the Top: Skill Sets That Take You to a Top-level Position Room 514 | Course #LAHT46 | Code T A career path in hospitality technology doesn’t always follow a straight line, and getting to a top-level position doesn’t always come along the same road. But there are particular experiences and skills that can help lead you to the top. Explore what areas you should be well-versed in when looking to take on more responsibility within your organization. Learn about the career paths and choices made by a hospitality technology veteran and how you can modify your own career to get where you want in the hospitality technology field. Scot Campbell, CHTP is vice president of IT connectivity and communications for Caesars Entertainment. Sponsored by DRM in the Cloud: A New Approach to Disaster Recovery Room 518 | Course #LAHT47 | Code T Don’t take a set it and forget it approach to your disaster recovery plan. It is imperative that you revisit it often to make sure it is as effective as possible based on your enterprise’s current situation. Get the basics on what should be considered within your disaster recovery management, then see how new technologies, such as cloud computing, can be incorporated. The session will compare traditional vs. new approaches, including the economics of the two. Ayikudy Srikanth is chief technology officer with Passkey, Now A Part of Lanyon.

SCHEDULE

Thursday, june 26 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Registration Open | West Hall Lobby

8:30 – 9:00 a.m.

Beverage Break | 500 Level

9:00 –10:00 a.m. technology Showcase:

Emerging Trends in Hospitality Marketing | Room 513

8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Registration Open West Hall Lobby

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. Beverage Break 500 Level

9:00 –10:00 a.m.

9:00 – 10:30 a.m. Super Sessions º CIO vs. CMO | Room 515 A º Big Data: Making it Work for Hotels AND Guests Room 515 B

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Exhibits Open | West Hall

11:00 – 11:15 a.m. • 11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Tech Talks | West Hall, Booth #455

1:30 – 2:00 p.m.

º Beverage Break | 500 Level º Keynote Meet and Greet with Eric O'Neill HFTP Membership Lounge, West Hall Lobby

2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Super Sessions

Emerging Trends in Hospitality Marketing Room 513 | Course #LAHT48 | Code T Rapid growth in technology has quickly changed the way we consume content and redefined the way we interact with media. Subsequently media delivery systems are evolving rapidly. The average consumer is inundated with promotional messaging 24/7/365 so when you get someone’s attention you want to keep it. Expanded bandwidth capacities combined with new geocoded media technologies are resulting in the real life version of your kids gaming experience and creating a new genre in the field of content management and consumer engagement. Greg Murtha is from XplorIT Multimedia Technologies

º Non-techies Town Hall Meeting | Room 515 A º Futuristic Technology | Room 515 B

3:15 – 3:45 p.m.

Beverage Break | Petree Hall

3:45 – 5:00 p.m. Closing keynote

Corporate Security: The Top 10 Things You Should Be Doing to Secure Your Company | Petree Hall

HITEC 2014

Presented by

Quick 15-minute, free-form education sessions available to all attendees. All Tech Talks are in the HFTP Booth #455 in West Hall.

11:00 – 11:15 a.m.

11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Using Technology to Reduce Operational Expenses In hospitality, there are three main practices that can reduce expenses: increase revenue, enhance the guest experience and improve operational efficiencies. Automating procure-to-pay business processes can drastically reduce operating expenses, increase efficiencies, create financial control and improve compliance, both internally and externally. See how the right technology can help hotels achieve better business processes and positively impact their bottom line. Ellen Taylor is director of sales and marketing for BirchStreet Systems.

Sentiment Analysis Now With Social Feeds Applying social feeds to sentiment analysis reporting and how to use the data to improve the guest experience. Matthew Kelly is a data scientist with ZDirect.

Trash 3.0 Most hotel chains have to deal with multiple waste and recycling haulers, which are notorious for assessing unsubstantiated surcharges. See how an invoice audit engine returned over $3.2 million to enrolled properties last year at no-fee. Also reduce operating risk by assigning two account managers for single-point-of-contact customer care, which offers the best incident response time and cure. Finally, with the massive buying power that comes with thousands of properties, the system offers free contract management, free property/portfolio waste reports and free hauler invoice retention. Jonathan Gael is regional vice president with Refuse Specialists Mobile Security Mobility is transforming the hospitality industry by enhancing productivity and enabling higher guest satisfaction. Embracing mobility enables greater flexibility and productivity, but also introduces security risk to corporate and consumer data. Learn how hospitality organizations can embrace mobility, while securing devices, private customer information and sensitive data in a connected mobile ecosystem to give each employee the information, applications and content they need, without risk of data loss or exposed information. John Marshall is CEO with AirWatch by VMware. ERP in Hospitality The power of ONE. In this session you will understand how a fully integrated ERP platform consolidates data, reduces costs and creates a seamless guest experience. Successfully operating in chains and resorts, Cenium will reshape the way you approach technology. Terry Price, CPA, CHAE, CHTP is vice president of product management with Cenium, an HFTP Global Past President and a member of the HFTP Executive Vendor Advisory Council.

thursday

Tech Talks

Enhancing the Guest Experience Through Employee Retention Hoteliers often select new staff based on tangibles such as degrees and years of experience in the industry, but these factors do not indicate how an employee will perform when interacting with guests. Hospitality companies should look to the latest in human resource management technology in order to accurately assess the behavioral traits of potential and existing employees, and place them in roles where they will be most successful. Bernard Ellis is vice president of industry strategy with Infor. Interactive Technology for Today's Global and Mobile Travelers The guest in room 206 speaks Arabic and needs directions quickly. The penthouse suite VIP speaks Mandarin and needs a five star restaurant with private dining for 12. Today's global travelers want service in their own language, and today's innovative technology makes it possible to offer interactive, multilingual concierge services in more than 50 languages — right inside each guest-room. Best of all: the technology can pay for itself with the futuristic development of digital content recognition. Sovee shares a live demo of how this "tomorrow" technology is making today's hotels "borderless." Scott Gaskill is president with Sovee. Update on the HFTP Global Hospitality Accounting Common Practices Get a quick overview of HFTP's Global Hospitality Accounting Common Practices — a project that’s been years in the making and is ready for a demo. Hear what a multi-national team of hospitality management experts have found in internationally researching practices at lodging properties. The information collected is focused primarily on operating statements and key financial performance indicators to highlight examples of current practice in regions across the globe. The database provides an overview of common practices, together with explanations for regional variations from accepted international industry standards. Don’t miss this introduction to a resource that could change the hospitality finance industry as a whole. Tanya Venegas, MBA is executive director of the HFTP Research Institute and HFTP Fellow at the University of Houston.

HITEC 2014 41

thursday

9:00 – 10:30 a.m.

11:00 – 11:15 a.m. • 11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Tech Talks West Hall, Booth #455 Quick 15-minute, free-form education sessions available to all attendees. A description of Thursday's Tech Talks are on page 41.

CIO vs. CMO Room 515 A | Course #LAHT49 | Code T Explore the dynamic between the marketing people who are driving technology initiatives vs. the technology people who are making sure they actually work. There is undoubtedly conflict. The need for marketing and technology to work closely together is a new challenge and one that hasn’t necessarily been the case before. The panel will feature CMO/CIO pairs from three different segments: destination/resort, independent and a brand. Hear them share best practices and their visions on how to make this relationship work Richard Siegel is president and publisher with Hospitality Upgrade, a member of the HITEC Advisory Council and an inductee to the HFTP International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame. Martin Stanton is CIO with Destination Hotels & Resorts. Ronald Strecker, CHAE, CHTP is CFO with Al J. Schneider Company. Big Data: Making it Work for Hotels AND Guests Room 515 B | Course #LAHT50 | Code T Big data has many meanings — for customers, for suppliers — but what does it mean for hotels? The hotel industry has loads of data in many, many databases across properties, brands and management companies, and hotel guests are adding to the universe of data every day via their interactions with social media, retailers and other travel providers. What does big data look like to a hotel guest? What's the best way to manage and utilize the data we already have plus other data out there about hotel guests to provide better guest experiences and offer more appropriate products at appropriate prices to generate revenue without adding unaffordable overhead and costs? This session will help dispel some big data myths and give attendees some ideas about how to best use their own data sources, and understand the value of external data sources. Moderator Valyn Perini is senior vice president with Kalibri Labs. Layton Han is CEO with ADARA. Olivier Jager is chief executive officer with ForwardKeys Michael Toedt is chief executive officer with Toedt, Dr. Selk & Coll. GmBH. Co-produced with

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Exhibits Open West Hall

HITEC 2014

1:30 – 2:00 p.m. Beverage Break 500 Level Keynote Meet and Greet with Eric O'Neill HFTP Membership Lounge, West Hall Lobby Take this opportunity to meet Eric O'Neill in person. First 25 guests are eligible to receive a DVD copy of Breach. Copies based upon availability.

2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Non-Techies Town Hall Meeting Room 515 A | Course #LAHT51 | Code T All week we've heard from the technologists, now it's time to hear from the non-techies. Come listen to operations and finance associates answer questions on the handling of technology in hotels. Panelists will be presented with a set of pre-selected questions, and then the question session will be opened up to the audience to address how these non-techies can help techies do their job better. Moderator Richard Tudgay is vice president of technology with Omni Hotels & Resorts and a member of the HITEC Advisory Council. Paul Gardian is executive director of brand operations and environmental officer with Delta Hotels and Resorts. Dan King is area managing director with Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Futuristic Technology Room 515 B | Course #LAHT52 | Code T Step into a time machine as you travel to the future to explore the possibilities, along with realities, of coming hotel technology. The session will explore what’s in store for booking, in-room entertainment, guests’ technology wants and needs, and more. Moderator Mike Dickersbach, CHTP, MCP, NICE is vice president of technology with Thayer Lodging Group, Brookfield Hotel Properties and a member of the HITEC Advisory Council. Simon Eng is vice president of information technology with CTF Development, Inc. Brian Garavuso, CHTP is executive vice president and CIO with Diamond Resorts International. Nelson Garrido, CHTP is vice president of IT service and delivery with Interstate Hotels & Resorts and a member of the HITEC Advisory Council. Darrin Pinkham is chief technology officer with Highgate Hotels. Jeff Weiland is with Samsung Electronics.

thursday

3:15 – 3:45 p.m. Beverage Break Petree Hall

Closing keynote 3:45 – 5:00 p.m. Corporate Security: The Top 10 Things You Should Be Doing to Secure Your Company Petree Hall | Course #LAHT53 | Code T Eric O'Neill Former FBI Operative Companies and individuals need to think like spy hunters in order to protect themselves from fraudsters, hackers, cyber criminals, spies, identity thieves and an assortment of other bad actors. Former FBI agent and security expert Eric O’Neill, will explore a number of steps corporations and individuals can take to secure critical information, including counter espionage techniques, addressing the trusted insider problem, surviving social media, the importance of diligence, and

themed for a robust cyber security strategy. Throughout the presentation he will weave stories from his experience as a security advisor, attorney and FBI operative to provide entertaining case examples. O'Neill began his career in the FBI as a graduate of the FBI's Intelligence Program. He spent the first five years of his career as a special surveillance group field operative. He transitioned from field operative to direct undercover work. In 2001, Eric O'Neill helped capture the most notorious spy in United States history: Robert Hanssen, a 25 year veteran of the FBI.

About HITEC Topic and Speaker Selection

Important Antitrust Precautions

Due to HITEC’s importance to the industry as the premier hospitality technology conference in the world, speaking at HITEC is seen by some companies who sell hospitality technology products and services as a great competitive advantage. In order to ensure fairness to all exhibiting supporters and to fulfill the commitment to provide high quality non-sales oriented and balanced educational sessions, speakers whose companies sell products and services may not promote what their companies offer, but must speak generally.

Whenever competitors within an industry gather together, appropriate care must be exercised to assure that violations of antitrust laws do not take place.

All HITEC educational topics and speaker selections are determined by the HITEC Advisory Council in an independent format, based on the attendees’ needs. These volunteers have worked diligently for over a year to provide this year’s attendees the best possible educational programming. Members of this year’s council may be found on page 4 of your program.

• Refusal to deal with a third party, and

Although our screening processes are designed to ensure independent educational experiences, there are rare instances when a speaker representing a specific product or service presents a biased session during the educational program. In the event that this were to occur, attendees should note that the bias was unclear when they were selected to participate. Additionally, their participation should not be seen as an endorsement by HFTP, HITEC or the HITEC Advisory Council for their product, service or company.

In summary, one should avoid discussions of pricing, such as the prices you pay and charge, including labor costs, market share and allocation, quality ratings of products or suppliers — particularly those which may cause a competitor to lock out or to cease purchasing from a specific supplier, and any other areas which might have anti-competitive repercussions.

All attendees of this meeting should avoid any collusive practices or discussions. Collusion is an agreement to commit fraud, and most usually evidenced in the following antitrust violations: • Product boycott, • Restrictive market allocation, • Price restraining activities. There need not be written or verbal agreement to fraud; conversations regarding any of these sensitive areas may be construed as implicit violations.

For your protection and the protection of your company, HFTP recommends that should one of these subjects be brought up, it would be in your best interest to voice your objection to it and to disassociate yourself from the discussion if it continues.

HITEC 2014 43

tuesday

Page Head tutorials Exhibitor Earn additional continuing education credit towards the CHAE and/or CHTP designations by attending the educational sessions offered during exhibit hall hours. These sessions are open to all registration categories. All tutorials are located in West Hall, Back of Aisle 700

10:30 – 11:00 a.m.

12:45 – 1:15 p.m.

Passive Optical Networks in Hospitality Course #LAHT19 | Code T

What Dangers are Lurking in Your Hotel’s Spreadsheets? Course #LAHT22 | Code T

Vision Technologies

Evention LLC

An overview of passive optical networks in the hospitality market. A look at how hoteliers can lower installation and operational costs, while delivering full voice, data and video services to the guests. A case study will be presented.

Ninety percent of your spreadsheets have errors! If Excel spreadsheets could be the root cause of a $6 billion loss at JPMorgan, should all of us in hospitality by paying more attention to our spreadsheets’ DNA?

11:15 – 11:45 a.m.

1:30 – 2:00 p.m.

PCI vs. PII... and Why You Need To Know! Course #LAHT20 | Code T

Revenue Optimization and Profitability Course #LAHT23 | Code T

Venza Group, Inc.

Rainmaker

Al Saxon • Senior Vice President

Marion Roger • Vice President of Business Development Daniel Johnson • Chief Operations Officer If the Pentagon can be hacked, how safe is your hotel’s guest data (aka PII)? Top of the line "physical protection" may well be in place, but malicious individuals and untrained employees are the real threat. Drop in and learn more.

12:00 – 12:30 p.m. The Ins and Outs of eProcurement Course #LAHT21 | Code T

ReactorNet Technologies

Anthony Kylitis • Vice President of Marketing and Co-founder Nathan Waltrip • Director of Business Development In this session, attendees will learn the basics of eProcurement. We will examine eProcurement from both a business and technological perspective. Attendees will come away with a better understanding of the jargon used by solution providers, how the technology might affect operations and vendor relations, and ultimately whether or not they can benefit from implementing eProcurement in their organization.

HITEC 2014

Mike Baldinger • Co-founder

Chris Clement • Director of Sales John Wallace • President, Gaming and Hospitality Optimizing available room prices to help clients ensure consistent space availability for their best customers, resulting in maximized revenue and profitability.

2:15 – 2:45 p.m. Data to Information to Dashboards Course #LAHT24 | Code T

Datavision Technologies, Inc.

Sherry Marek • Vice President What data do you need on a daily basis to make informed decisions? This presentation will discuss the various opportunities to view 360 degrees of data within your organization. All systems, all data and in easy to read formats.

1:30– 2:00 p.m.

Cure Your Insomnia with Workforce Management Course #LAHT32 | Code T

Gateway to the Future of Hospitality Course #LAHT36 | Code T

Kronos

360Leo

Phyllis Webb • Presales Consultant Mary Kay Heffernan • Sales Executive Your guests aren’t the only ones who deserve a good night’s sleep. But in the face of rising labor cost, increased compliance risk and decreasing brand loyalty, doing so is easier said than done. But it doesn’t have to be. When your employees, managers and corporate management are armed with the right tools, you can gain efficiencies necessary to maintain healthy margins without sacrificing the guest experience. Join this session to understand how you can tackle stay awake issues like ACA compliance and employee engagement, while improving organizational effectiveness and profitability.

11:15 – 11:45 a.m. Bridging the Offline and Online Worlds Course #LAHT33 | Code T

Clairvoyix

Mike Schmitt • Chief Executive Officer Lisa Phillips • Vice President of Professional Services Learn how Clairvoyix is using the latest marketing automation technologies to take transactional data (e.g. PMS data), online (web navigation) data and propensity models (from leading consumer data companies) to drive the highest possible returns from direct marketing campaigns.

12:00 – 12:30 p.m. Guestroom Energy Management Course #LAHT34 | Code T

Verdant Environmental Technologies

Michael Serour • Vice President of Sales and Marketing An effective guest room energy management system can reduce a hotel's energy expenses, without compromising guest comfort.

12:45 – 1:15 p.m. eSignatures and PCI Compliant Payments to Close Business Faster Course #LAHT35 | Code T

David Oliver • Chief Executive Officer Gordon Campbell • Chairman of the Board 360Leo discusses the gateway to the future of hospitality via software and networking technologies that optimize a hotel’s internal network for new revenue streams and reduced costs, while simultaneously enabling an enriched hotel experience for guests. Learn about dark core processing that enables a highly efficient distributed data center — or cloud — within the hotel to increase the speed of communication, lower energy use and costs, and reduce the need for additional hardware, while achieving highest levels of reliability, security and compute efficiency. Learn how this new technology can enable new revenue streams from cloud services — turning a cost center into a profit center. Guests can access real-time infotainment services, such as in-room dining, reservations, e-mail, Facebook, and local or hometown news and entertainment. Hotels experience greater efficiency within their hotel or hotel-chain enterprise for guest room inventory, promotional advertising and guest services updates, eliminating printing and updates of large binders.

wednesday

10:30 – 11:00 a.m.

2:15 – 2:45 p.m. The Future of Push to Talk Communication for Mobile Workforces Course #LAHT37 | Code T

Voxer

Nicole Strada • Head of Marketing Mia Sandvoll • Business Development Manager In any hotel, great communication among its staff plays a major role in providing an exceptional guest experience. Two-way radios and phone calls are the typical communication methods for hotels, but these options are outdated, can be incredibly expensive, and have an array of limitations. In this session we'll discuss the challenges of using radios and calls in a hotel, incorporating a mobile strategy, and the most agile and flexible way to connect and exchange information using push-to-talk on smart devices.

Sertifi and Merchant Link

John Stojka • Co-founder of Sertifi Christian McMahon • Senior Product Manager of Lodging Solutions at Merchant Link Discover the many benefits of using eSignatures within the hospitality industry. Shorten your contract process while reducing operating costs and enhancing the customer experience. In addition, find out how you can become PCI compliant and collect customer deposits and payments right after an agreement is electronically signed.

HITEC 2014 45

speakers Ajay Aluri, Ph.D. Assistant Professor West Virginia University Morgantown, WV Ph: +1 (304) 293-1048 ajay.aluri@mail.wvu.edu Tech Talk: The Impact of Google Glass for Hospitality and Tourism Rogers Ares Vice President of Global Analytics Hyatt Hotels Corporation Chicago, IL Ph: +1 (312) 750-1234 roger.ares@hyatt.com Search, Social, Mobile: The Challenges of Managing Customer Acquisition & Pricing

Chris Brogan VP, Strategy and Analytics Hyatt Hotels Corporation Chicago, IL Ph: +1 (312) 750-1234 chris.brogan@hyatt.com Search, Social, Mobile: The Challenges of Managing Customer Acquisition & Pricing Ken Brown Chairman & President y!kes Lewisville, TX Ph: +1 (214) 455-1000 kenb@yikes.com Tech Talk: Mobile Proximity Opens Doorsâ&#x20AC;Ś and a Whole LOT More

Randy Choplin President and CEO Broadvine Raleigh, NC Ph: +1 (919) 343-6910 rchoplin@alloso.com Tech Talk: Hospitality Movement Into BI Revolution Corey Clothier Owner Comet Robotics Brighton, MI Ph: +1 (810) 599-6299 coreyclothier@gmail.com Tech Talk: Sustainable Autonomous Mobility Robotics Robert Cole CEO RockCheetah Menomonee Falls, WI Ph: +1 (262) 309-9560 robert@rockcheetah.com Distribution and Disruption: The New Normal in Hospitality

Ken Barnes Vice President of IT White Lodging Merrillville, IN Ph: +1 (219) 472-2969 kbarnes@whitelodging. com Building and Renovating a Better Tech Hotel

Scot Campbell, CHTP VP IT Connectivity and Communications Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas, NV Ph: +1 (702) 415-7226 lvscooter@me.com Career Path to the Top: Skill Sets That Take You to a Top-level Position

Scott Barneson Strategic Alliances Amazon Web Services Seattle, WA Ph: +1 (424) 242-4245 barneson@amazon.com Friends Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Let Friends Build Data Centers

Colleen Carey VP of Marketing Eleven Portland, OR Ph: +1 (971)-242-4684 ccarey@elevenwireless.com Tech Talk: Optimizing and Monetizing Your Guest Internet

Rachel Botsman Professional Speaker Speak Inc. San Diego, CA Ph: +1 (800) 677-3324 Keynote: The Collaborative Economy

Rajiv Castellino CIO Great Wolf Resorts Madison, WI Ph: +1 (608) 6624700 rcastellino@greatwolf.com Mobility and Your Guests

Ellis Connolly Vice President TrustYou Dallas, TX Ph: +1 (703) 626-4315 ellis.connolly@trustyou.com Reputation Management: To Be or Not to Be (In Control)

Kerry Brock Vice President of Sales RoomKey PMS North Vancouver, BC Ph: +1 (604) 914-3722 kbrock@roomkeypms.com Leveraging BYOD, Empowering Your Guest and Yielding Guest Behavior

Thomas Castleberry, MCSE, MCSA, MCT, MCP EVP & COO SkyWire Media, Inc. Las Vegas, NV Ph: +1 (702) 515-7472 tcastleberry@skywiremedia.com Leveraging BYOD, Empowering Your Guest and Yielding Guest Behavior

Fred Crespo Director of Technology & Business Development Samsung Electronics Ridgefield Park, NJ Fcrespo@sea.samsung.com Guestroom Technology What Do Guests Really Want and What Should They Want

HITEC 2014

Galen Collins, Ph.D. Professor Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ Ph: +1 (928) 523-7333 galen.collins@nau.edu Leveraging BYOD, Empowering Your Guest and Yielding Guest Behavior

Mike Uwe Dickersbach, CHTP, MCP, NICE VP Information Technology Thayer Lodging Group, Brookfield Hotel Properties Ph: +1 (443) 758-9010 mdickersbach@thayerlodging.com Futuristic Technology Thomas Di Giacomo CTO Swisscom Hospitality Services Geneva Ph: +41227407538 thomas.digiacomo@swisscom.com Tech Talk: Making Sense of Big Data â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Case for a Hotelier Dashboard Gregory Duff Owner Garvey Schubert Barer Seattle, WA Ph: +1 (206) 816-1470 gduff@gsblaw.com Contract Review for IT John Edwards VP of IT Dolce Hotels & Resorts Rockleigh, NJ Ph: +1 (201) 505-5914 john.edwards@dolce.com Mobility and Your Guests Bernard Ellis, CHTP VP Industry Strategy, Hospitality Infor Washington, DC Ph: +1 (202) 232-3839 ellis.bernard@hotmail.com Friends Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Let Friends Build Data Centers Tech Talk: Enhancing the Guest Experience Through Employee Retention The Mission of Motion: Priorities for Enterprise Mobility

HITEC 2014 47

SPEAKERS

Simon Eng Vice President of IT CTF Development, Inc. Washington, DC Ph: +1 (202) 533-1205 seng@ctfdi.com Futuristic Technology Cindy Estis Green Co-Founder & CEO Kalibri Labs Potomac, MD Ph: (301) 294-4500 cindy@kalibrilabs.com Distribution and Disruption: The New Normal in Hospitality Search, Social, Mobile: The Challenges of Managing Customer Acquisition and Pricing Jonathon Gael Vice President Refuse Specialists Los Angeles, CA Ph: +1 (323) 712-4235 jonathan@rs-llc.com Tech Talk: Trash 3.0 Brian Garavuso, CHTP EVP & CIO Diamond Resorts Intl Las Vegas, NV Ph: +1 (702) 823-7200 brian.garavuso@diamondresorts.com Futuristic Technology Paul A. Gardian Executive Director, Brand Operations and Environmental Officer Delta Hotels and Resorts Toronto, ON Ph: (416) 874-2110 paul.gardian@deltahotels.com Non-Techies Town Hall Meeting Nelson Garrido, CHTP VP, IT Service & Delivery Interstate Hotels & Resorts Arlington, VA Ph: +1 (404) 920-3040 nelson.garrido@interstatehotels.com Futuristic Technology

HITEC 2014

Scott Gaskill President Sovee Chattanooga, TN Ph: +1 (423) 702-7113 scott.gaskill@sovee.com Tech Talk: Interactive Technology for Today's Global and Mobile Travelers Brennan Gildersleeve Dir, Global Property Technology Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Stamford, CT Ph: +1 (914) 882-6238 Brennan.Gildersleeve@starwoodhotels. com Wrangling Wi-Fi: Making Sense of the Latest Options

Loren Gray VP Digital Strategy Standing Dog Interactive Dallas, TX Ph: +1 (214) 696-9600 loren.gray@standingdog. com Search, Social, Mobile: The Challenges of Managing Customer Acquisition and Pricing Layton Han CEO ADARA Mountain View, CA Ph: +1 (408) 876-6360 Layton.han@adaraglobal. com Big Data: Making It Work for Hotels and Guests

Lynn Goodendorf, CISSP, CIPP Dir Information Security Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Atlanta, GA Ph: +1 (404) 836-8043 lgoodendorf@mohg.com PII/Data Protection: How Far Does the Data Reach?

Lew Harasymiw Director, Connectivity Solutions TripAdvisor Needham, MA Ph: +1 (617) 795-7710 lharasymiw@tripadvisor.com Tech Talk: TripConnect Distribution and Disruption: The New Normal in Hospitality

Larry Gorman Senior Director, IT SkyTouch Technology Phoenix, AZ Ph: +1 (602) 494-5822 larry_gorman@choicehotels.com Tech Talk: Beyond the Cloud

Henry He Founder & CEO Foli San Mateo, CA Ph: +1 (781) 367-9812 hhe@encipit.com Tech Talk: Digital Print

Kristie Goshow Senior Vice President Viceroy Hotel Group Los Angeles, CA Ph: +1 (323) 930-3778 kristie.goshow@viceroyhotelgroup.com Search, Social, Mobile: The Challenges of Managing Customer Acquisition & Pricing

Chris Headings EVP Sunray Carlsbad, CA Ph: +1 (760) 568-4545 chris@sunraytvi.com Wrangling Wi-Fi: Making Sense of the Latest Options

Don Kim Owner Projectation.com Sherman Oaks, CA Ph: +1 (818) 293-7185 projectation@outlook.com Effective Project Management in a Nutshell

Olivier Jager CEO and Founder ForwardKeys Valencia, Spain Ph: +33 972 221 570 ojager@forwardkeys.com Big Data: Making it Work for Hotels AND Guests

Dan King Area Managing Dir Starwood Hotels & Resorts Newport Beach, CA Ph: (702) 785-4914 dan.king@starwoodhotels.com Non-Techies Town Hall Meeting

Daniel Johnson COO Venza Group, Inc. Alpharetta, GA Ph: +1 (404) 432-4263 daniel.johnson@venzagroup.com Tech Talk: System Adoption â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Realizing a Return On Your Software Investment

Robin Koetje, CHTP IT Director The Hotel Group, Inc. Edmonds, WA Ph: +1 (425) 248-2969 rkoetje@thehotelgroup. com Building and Renovating a Better Tech Hotel

David Johnson, CHTP Dir, Info Technology Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club Durham, NC Ph: +1 (919) 313-2851 djohnson@wdigc.com CHTP Review PCI-DSS 2.0 to PCI-DSS 3.0: What's in a Number! Jeremiah Karl POS Business Manager Hewlett Packard Ph: +1 (505) 353-1512 Jkarl@hp.com Leveraging BYOD, Empowering Your Guest and Yielding Guest Behavior Matthew Kelly Data Scientist ZDirect Inc. Ottawa, ON Ph: +1 (954) 458-1669 x126 matt@zdirect.com Tech Talk: Sentiment Analysis Now With Social Feeds

Wayne Lee Managing Principal Verizon RISK Team Irvine, CA Ph: +1 (310) 383-4702 Wayne.lee@one.verizon. com PCI 3.0: R U Ready? James Lingle President James Lingle Consulting Highlands Ranch, CO Ph: +1 (303) 386-6806 james@jameslingle.com Building and Renovating a Better Tech Hotel Robert Lowe VP Business Development Shift4 Corporation Las Vegas, NV Ph: +1 (702) 597-2480 blowe@shift4.com Tech Talk: Security Beyond Compliance

Dan Lulich CTO Eleven Portland, OR Ph: +1 (971) 242-4855 dlulich@elevenwireless. com Tech Talk: Optimizing and Monetizing Your Guest Internet

SPEAKERS

Bruce Hicks General Manager The Alliant Group/Houston Sugar Land, TX Ph: +1 (281) 313-2200 bruce.hicks@thealliantgroup.com Disaster Simulation

Phillip Maltin Partner Gordon & Rees LLP Los Angeles, CA Ph: +1 (310) 463-4316 phillipmaltin@yahoo.com Recognizing Ethical Dilemmas: Where's the Line? Ken Marold Head of Innovations Monscierge Oklahoma City, OK Ph: +1 (405) 602-0660 x7008 ken.marold@monscierge.com Tech Talk: Gamifying Staff Performance to Improve the Guest Experience John Marshall CEO AirWatch by VMware Atlanta, GA Ph: +1 (404) 478-7500 JustinGrimsley@airwatch.com Managing BYOD In Your Corporate Environment Tech Talk: Mobile Security Sean Mathena Managing Consultant Trust Wave Sachse, TX Ph: +1 (214) 315-2649 smathena@trustwave.com PCI 3.0: R U Ready?

HITEC 2014 49

SPEAKERS

Douglas Merrill Professional Speaker The Lavin Agency Toronto, Ph: +1 (800) 265-4870 PRasbach@thelavinagency.com Opening Keynote: Place Your Security Efforts Toward the Real Risks Allison Morris, CHTP Corporate Director of IT American Casino & Entertainment Properties LLC Las Vegas, NV Ph: (702) 219-4880 Allison.Morris@ACEPLLC.com Birds of a Feather Greg Murtha President & CEO XplorIT Incline Village, NV Ph: +1 (775) 298-2690 Greg@XplorIT.com Tech Talk: Emerging Trends in Immersive Media Eric O'Neill Professional Speaker American Program Bureau Newton, MA Ph: +1 (617) 614-1600 Closing Keynote: Corporate Security: The Top 10 Things You Should Be Doing to Secure Your Company Jeffrey Parker, CHTP Chief Funologist\ VP of Technology Stout Street Hospitality Denver, CO Ph: +1 (303) 351-1649 jparker@stoutstreethospitality.com PCI 3.0: R U Ready? Mobility and Your Guests

HITEC 2014

Valyn Perini Senior Vice President Kalibri Labs Acton, MA Ph: +1 (978) 635-3721 valyn@kalibrilabs.com Distribution and Disruption: The New Normal in Hospitality Big Data: Making it Work for Hotels AND Guests

Andrew Rubinacci VP, Distribution & Intermediary Sales InterContinental Hotels Group Atlanta, GA Ph: +1 (770) 604-2192 andrew.rubinacci@ihg.com Distribution and Disruption: The New Normal in Hospitality

Darrin R. Pinkham, CHTP CTO Highgate Hotels New York, NY Ph: +1 (212) 707-5020 dpinkham@highgate.com Futuristic Technology

Christopher Ruff CEO UIEvolution, Inc. Kirkland, WA Ph: +1 (425) 460-0860 cruff@uievolution.com Tech Talk: Creativity + Innovation = Increased Brand and Revenue

Terry Price, CHAE, CHTP, CPA VP, Product Management Cenium Weaverville, NC Ph: +1 (877) 623-6486 Terry.Price@cenium.com Tech Talk: ERP in Hospitality Terence Ronson Managing Director Pertlink Limited Stanley, HKSAR Ph: 85294680848 terence@pertlink.net Guestroom Technology What Do Guests Really Want and What Should They Want

Matthew Seim SVP, Information Technology Sage Hospitality Denver, CO Ph: +1 (303) 405-8391 matt.seim@sagehospitality.com Mobility and Your Guests Niraj Shah CEO Eventgrid.com Dunellen, NJ Ph: +1 (908) 616-3168 niraj@eventgrid.com Tech Talk: Location-Based Application iBeacon: The New Opportunity in Mobile Guest Service & Engagement Kris Shoemaker, CMA, CGFO, CHAE, CHTP, CPFIM CFO Orange County Convention Center Orlando, FL Ph: +1 (407) 685-9827 kristopher.shoemaker@ocfl.net CHAE Review

Ellen Taylor Director of Sales BirchStreet Systems Newport Beach, CA Ph: +1 (949) 567-7031 etaylor@birchstreet.net Tech Talk: Using Technology to Reduce Operational Expenses

Kathy Spellacy IT Project Manager White Lodging Merrillville, IN Ph: +1 (904) 429-7054 kspellacy@whitelodging. com Bandwidth: Is Enough Ever Enough?

Michael Toedt CEO Toedt, Dr. Selk & Coll. GmbH Munich Ph: 49 89 18935690 michael.toedt@ts-and-c.com Big Data: Making it Work for Hotels AND Guests

Ayikudy Srikanth Chief Technology Officer Passkey, Now A Part of Lanyon Waltham, MA Ph: +1 (781) 373-4109 sayikudy@passkey.com DRM in the Cloud: A New Approach to Disaster Recovery Martin Stanton CIO Destination Hotels & Resorts Edgewood, CO Ph: +1 (303) 268-6832 mstanto@destinationhotels.com CIO vs. CMO Ronald W. Strecker, CHAE,CHTP CFO Al J. Schneider Co. Louisville, KY Ph: (502) 569-4472 rstrecker@ajshotels.com The Mission of Motion: Priorities for Enterprise Mobility CIO vs. CMO

Richard Tudgay VP Technology Omni Hotels & Resorts Irving, TX Ph: +1 (972) 871-5544 richard@omnihotells.com Making Your Vendor Relationships Work Non-techies Town Hall Meeting Tanya Venegas, MBA Executive Director & HFTP Fellow University of Houston Houston, TX Ph: +1 (713) 743-1839 Email: tvenegas@central.uh.edu Tech Talk: Update on the HFTP Global Hospitality Accounting Common Practices Dan Verkuehlen Hotel Technology Manager TMI Hospitality Fargo, ND Ph: (701) 639-5935 dan.verkuehlen@tmihospitality.com Bandwidth: Is Enough Ever Enough?

Ted Watson Dir Global Hospitality Solutions Ruckus Wireless Dover, NH Ph: +1 (603) 781-1092 ted.watson@ruckuswireless.com Wrangling Wi-Fi: Making Sense of the Latest Options

SPEAKERS

Richard Siegel President & Publisher Hospitality Upgrade Roswell, GA Ph: +1 (678) 802-5301 rich@hospitalityupgrade. com CIO vs. CMO

Susan Weigel Vice President Revenue Management & Distribution Denihan Hospitality New York, NY Ph: +1 (212) 465-3682 susan.weigel@denihan.com Distribution and Disruption: The New Normal in Hospitality Jeffrey Weiland Sr Sales Manager, Hospitality Samsung Electronics Ridgefield Park, NJ Jweiland@sea.samsung. com Futuristic Technology Josh Weiss VP, Brands & Guest Technology Hilton Worldwide Mc Lean, VA Ph: +1 (703) 883-5736 josh.weiss@hilton.com Guestroom Technology What Do Guests Really Want and What Should They Want Paul Wood VP Revenue Management Greenwood Hospitality Group Greenwood Village, CO Ph: +1 (720) 310-2029 pwood@greenwoodhospitality.com Reputation Management - To Be or Not to Be (In Control)

HITEC 2014 51

Exhibitors-At-a-Glance 22MILES Wayfinding................................1643 360Leo.....................................................1261 Abacus 21................................................1723 Acenonyx...................................................127 Acentic Inc...............................................1543 Acutek Solutions......................................1631 Adaco.........................................................605 ADTRAN...................................................1731 AEI Communications Corp........................1335 Agilysys, Inc..............................................1119 Air2Data, HSIA...........................................959 AirWatch by VMware...............................1319 Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.............................1635 Allin Interactive..........................................113 AllView Networks....................................1730 American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute............................202 Anand Systems..........................................642 Anevia........................................................538 Aptech Computer Systems, Inc............ 501 Archelon Enclosures.................................1656 Aruba Networks.......................................1404 Asian Media & Marketing Group...............126 AT&T..........................................................235 Attendance on Demand, Inc.....................1349 at-visions...................................................535 ATX Networks..........................................1340 AutoClerk Inc.............................................141 Avaya.........................................................252 AVPM.......................................................1435 Axxess Industries Inc................................1419 B4Checkin Ltd............................................536 Bank of America Merchant Services.........1428 Bartech Systems International.................1025 BirchStreet Systems....................................849 Bittel Americas.........................................1445 Blueprint RF...............................................219 Book4Time Inc..........................................1303 Booker........................................................114 Bowers & Wilkins.......................................534 Brandstand Products..................................531 Broadband Hospitality.............................1301 Broadvine*........................................ 1649 Bulk TV & Internet......................................749 CallTek Center International, Inc..............1330 Card Scanning Solutions Inc.....................1558 Cardola Ltd..............................................1721 CCI Systems.............................................1412 Celadon, Inc.............................................1749 Celayix Software......................................1421 Cendyn/ONE.............................................1135 Cenetic.......................................................544 Cenium......................................................635 Cetis, Inc...................................................1405 Charter Business........................................449 CheckMate.................................................122

HITEC 2014

ChefTec/Culinary Software Services............326 Chetu Inc..................................................1423 Cisco Systems.................................... 1126 Clairvoyix.................................................1605 Cleverdis............................................ 1456 Cloud 9 Mobility......................................1658 Coalfire....................................................1408 Comcast Business*..................................1141 Connect Call Global, LLC..................... 757 Control4...................................................1334 Cornell School of Hotel Administration.................... 1727 Corning....................................................1557 Cotell International Limited.....................1457 Cox Business..............................................419 Crestron Electronics, Inc...........................1413 CSI globalVCard paysystems......................311 CSS Hotel Systems...................................1124 Cvent.......................................................1361 Cybage Software Inc........................... 422 Danmagi..................................................1752 Data Plus Hospitality Solutions................1206 Datatrend Technologies, Inc.......................856 Datavision Technologies, Inc.............. 1227 Deep Blue Communications.......................323 Digital Alchemy..........................................249 DigiValet..................................................1501 DIRECTV.....................................................841 DISH...........................................................241 Display Systems International, Inc............1518 Dometic.....................................................761 Duetto......................................................1726 DuVoice Corporation..................................328 EarthBend Distribution...............................149 Edge Communications.............................1755 Elavon........................................................611 Electric Mirror..........................................1144 Electro-Media Design, Ltd................. 1045 Eleven*....................................................1441 Elfiq Networks...........................................640 Encore Event Technologies.........................206 Eng Infotech.............................................1653 Engineered Lifestyles...............................1353 Enseo, Inc.................................................1110 Entertainment Solutions...........................1343 EthoStream................................................858 Evention...................................................1211 Evolve Guest Controls................................429 eZee Technosys, PVT Ltd...........................1753 Falcon IP/Complete..................................1549 FCS.............................................................409 Fingi Inc....................................................1601 Flip.to.........................................................130 Flyte Systems...........................................1235 FOOD-TRAK.............................................1109 Four Winds Interactive.............................1509

Galaxy Hotel Systems...............................1105 G-LINK.....................................................1041 GoConcierge............................................1312 Goodman Co., LP-Amana PTAC Sales.........231 Gossamer Networks...................................154 Ground Labs.............................................1541 Guest Direct...............................................655 GuestDriven.............................................1750 Guest-tek...................................................209 Guestware..................................................519 HandHeld Hospitality.................................225 Harman International.................................248 HeadsUp FD...............................................961 Hear My Lips............................................1522 HeBS Digital...............................................442 Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP)............................ 455 Hisense USA.............................................1559 Homisco, Inc.............................................1358 Hospitality Technical Services...................1248 Hospitality Technology Magazine.............1554 Hospitality Upgrade.......................... 1640 Hospitality WiFi........................................1719 hospitalityPulse........................................1058 Hotel Business Magazine...........................151 Hotel Internet Services.............................1040 Hotel Management....................................152 Hotel News Now........................................250 hotel SystemsPro......................................1151 HotelEXPERT..............................................506 Hotelogix...................................................229 HOTELS Magazine....................................1737 Hoteza.....................................................1542 Hotwire Communications.........................1354 HTNG.......................................................1149 iDashboards...............................................224 IDScan.net..................................................148 iLuv Creative Technology..........................1454 Immersion Companies...............................349 Indra..........................................................643 Infor*.................................................. 701 Info-Tech Research Group........................1741 InfoValue Computing, Inc.........................1213 Ingenico.....................................................118 INNCOM by Honeywell............................1201 InnLink / Trust International.....................1326 innRoad............................................. 1360 Intelity......................................................1529 Intellicheck Mobilisa..................................153 Intello Technologies Inc..............................527 Interactive Sites.........................................259 INTEREL.....................................................335 InvoTech Systems, Inc.................................240 IQWare Inc.................................................619 iRiS Software Systems Ltd..........................741

Page Head iTesso-Enterprise Lodging Systems... 1449 JANUS Displays..........................................727 Jive Communications...............................1560 Jonas Club Management and clubsystems group..............................1108 Just In Time Communications.....................755 KABA ILCO SAFLOK....................................513 Knowcross..................................................305 KOR Systems..............................................439 Kronos......................................................1629 Kube Systems.............................................156 LEIGHTRONIX, INC.....................................754 LG Electronics USA, Inc..............................819 LOCATEL..................................................1254 LODGING Media.................................. 142 Lodging Technology.................................1660 Logiclink, Inc............................................1619 LPA Systems.............................................1724 Lynx Broadband.........................................542 M3 Accounting & Analytics......................1622 Maclocks..................................................1359 MagTek, Inc................................................420 Matrix Telecom.........................................1521 MCOM Media Communications...............1342 Meetings Maker.........................................440 Megasys Hospitality Solutions.................1625 Merchant Link...................................... 626 Meru Networks..........................................329 Metropolis Technologies, Inc......................630 MICROS Systems, Inc..................................709 Milestone Internet Marketing, Inc..............644 Mitel Corporation......................................355 Miwa Lock Co., Ltd...................................1140 Mobile Simple..........................................1751 Monscierge, Inc........................................1061 Moreton Bay Technology Pty. Ltd...............407 Motorola Solutions....................................756 MSI (Multi-Systems Inc.).................... 1019 Multicom, Inc...........................................1618 my HotelApp..............................................150 NationalLink.............................................1739 NAVIS.......................................................1329 nCLOSE-POSenclosures.com.......................854 NEC Corporation of America......................827 Neudesic....................................................657 Nevotek.....................................................112 Newmarket International, Inc.....................901 Nomadix..................................................1327 Nor1 Inc...................................................1607 NORTHWIND - Maestro Property Management System...................... 719 One Safe Place Media Corp........................541 Onity........................................................1113 OpenWays................................................1209 Optii Solutions.........................................1555 PalVision (Singapore) Pte Ltd.....................424

Page Head

All exhibitors listed in purple are HITEC 2014 Sponsors. * Read more about this company in the Technology Guide starting on page 55.

PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc....... 1219 PAS............................................................418 Passkey, Now A Part of Lanyon.......... 1129 Percipia....................................................1400 PhoneSuite.................................................413 Phybridge.................................................1259 Pico Digital.................................................324 Pinnacle Communications........................1114 Planet Payment..........................................525 PrinterOn.................................................1308 ProfitSword......................................... 941 Quadriga Worldwide..................................119 Rainmaker................................................1310 RCN Business Services...............................129 ReactorNet Technologies..........................1743 RedRock Software....................................1603 Resort Data Processing............................1204 ResortSuite.................................................507 Revinate...................................................1620 Roam Boost...............................................343 RoamingAround.........................................345 RoomKey PMS............................................145 RoomNetTV..............................................1452 Ruckus Wireless.......................................1155 Runtriz.....................................................1713 Safety NetAccess, Inc...............................1059 Salto Systems Inc.......................................835 Samsung Electronics............................ 949 Sceptre Hospitality Resources....................549 Schneider Electric.....................................1523 SecurityMetrics..........................................131 Select-TV-Solutions..................................1458 Sertifi eSignatures....................................1556 Shift4 Corporation............................. 1535 SIHOT Hotel Management Software...........255 Single Digits...............................................945 SiteMinder.................................................443 SIX Payment Services.................................543 SkyTouch Technology.................................201 SkyWire Inc................................................144 Smart Hospitality.....................................1715 Social Tables.............................................1651 SONIFI Solutions, Inc..................................811 Sonu Satellite...........................................1128 Sovee.................................................. 226 Squirrel Systems.........................................624 Status Solutions.........................................125 StayNTouch Inc...........................................124 Sunray......................................................1426 Swisscom Hospitality Services..................1035 Systems Associates, Inc..............................134 Systems Design & Development, Inc. (SDD)..................1013 TAC/The Assistant Company.......................319 Tangerine Global........................................228 TE Connectivity..........................................435

TeleAdapt Inc...........................................1309 Telecom Brokerage, Inc.............................1351 Telkonet, Inc...............................................855 Tenerum...................................................1725 The Eric Ryan Corp...................................1241 Tidel Engineering L.P..................................325 TigerTMS Ltd..............................................935 Time Warner Cable Business Class.............135 TrackIT LLC/ RHR Sytems, Inc....................1031 Transworld Services..................................1448 TravelClick, Inc.........................................1009 Trustwave...................................................204 TTI Technologies.......................................1313 Twisted Pair Solutions................................341 UIEvolution, Inc..........................................649 Unify GmbH Co. KG..................................1520 Uniguest..................................................1613 Untangle..................................................1450 USA TODAY..............................................1414 ValuePoint Networks................................1315 Vecima Networks.......................................138 Venture Telecom LLC................................1252 Venza Group, Inc................................ 330 Verdant Environmental Technologies Inc.................................1249 Verian......................................................1735 VeriFone, Inc.............................................1443 Verizon.....................................................1355 Vertical Booking.........................................128 Viggo SNTV..............................................1255 VingCard Elsafe..........................................401 Vision Technologies....................................140 Vocera Communications..........................1243 Voxer........................................................1410 Voxx Accessories Corporation....................143 VTech Hotel Phones.................................1429 Wanaport, Inc...........................................1455 WebRezPro Property Management System................................................1519 Wifi-soft Solutions...................................1729 Windstream...............................................805 Winncom Technologies.............................1644 Wireless Watchdogs.................................1545 World Cinema, Inc......................................627 Worldpay.................................................1257 Xirrus.......................................................1357 Xpodigital................................................1524 y!kes........................................................1158 Yellow Dog Software..................................200 ZDirect, Inc.................................................735 Zhone Technologies Inc............................1029

HITEC 2014 53

2014 exhibit hall floor plan

The floor plan is sponsored by Broadvine, Booth #1649

technology guide

Broadvine Booth #1649 www.broadvine.com

Broadvine — Business Intelligence Solutions Broadvine (previously Alloso Technologies) is revolutionizing the landscape of the Hospitality Industry with a suite of cloud based applications, for all financial reporting, budget and forecasting tools, property expense management, and third party analytics for STR, GSS, Salt and travel/social media trending. This Suite of Cloud based applications or “modules” is called Portfolio One™, and is powered by SOPHIA™, Broadvine’s proprietary Business Intelligence platform, that provides a true “Cognitive” Business Intelligence experience. Portfolio One™ Suite Broadvine’s Portfolio One™ Suite of application modules delivers the Hospitality Industry’s most intuitive, flexible, and affordable collection of business intelligence solutions. These independent but connected application modules, all collect data from internal and external sources to provide actionable information to the appropriate individual, thus unlocking data knowledge or what we call “Property Intelligence". Portfolio One™ Solution Modules These modules provide Daily/Flash reconciliation, Budget and Forecasting tools, Custom Reporting Engine, Expense AP Work Flow, and a host of other operational information management functions like, Score Power, Labor Analytics, Tax management, and KPI Dashboards for the web and mobile devices. SOPHIA™ — Broadvine’s Cognitive BI Platform At the core of our proprietary data architecture, sits a Cognitive Business Intelligence Engine, we call SOPHIA™, which is the Greek word for Wisdom. This business intelligence core is the DNA of the Portfolio One™ Application Suite. SOPHIA™’s BI core, allows for the first time, true visibility into what happened in the past, what is happening now, and most importantly what will happen in the future.

Today’s travelers demand much more from their in-room entertainment. Comcast Business serves the hospitality industry with advanced data, video and voice solutions that enable hotels to deliver a superior guest experience, while also managing overhead costs.

Comcast Business

Our broad portfolio of services are built specifically for hotels, and our high-performance network and enterprise support teams make us uniquely qualified to meet the rigorous demands of the hospitality industry.

Booth #1141 business.comcast.com/ hospitality

Comcast Business Hospitality Ethernet provides fast and reliable network connectivity, with speeds that scale up to 10Gbps. We also offer a range of Hospitality Internet packages to address hotel’s bandwidth needs. Two modems are provided so backoffice needs are not impacted by guest usage. Hospitality HD TV provides guests with quality HD video service, with the very best in sports, news and entertainment programming. We also offer Hospitality VoiceEdge, a cloud-based hosted voice solution that can help hotels maximize their phone capabilities over Comcast’s advanced IP network. All of these scalable services are delivered over our diverse, private network. Comcast Business also offers 24×7 enterprise support.

HITEC 2014 Special Advertising Section

Eleven powers the online guest experience with two core software products, ElevenOS and ElevenGC, both of which run on the Eleven platform. ElevenOS — Guest Internet Management: ElevenOS is the only cloud-based, hotel Internet platform that manages the guest experience across multiple devices, locations, and network service providers. ElevenOS gives hoteliers and network providers complete control through unique branding capabilities and service offerings such as tiered bandwidth, usage times, and more. High performance guest Internet is the industry’s most requested amenity — top hotel brands and management companies rely on ElevenOS to ensure guest satisfaction.

Eleven Wireless, Inc. Booth #1441 www.elevenwireless.com

ElevenGC — Five Star Guest Computing: ElevenGC’s guest computing solutions meet the needs of both travelers and hoteliers with flexible options for business centers, lobbies, suites, club lounges and more. Offering the industry’s most comprehensive equipment lineup, hoteliers can choose from Lenovo or HP computers running Windows 8 or Apple Macs running both Mac OS and Windows. Enterprise grade printers and multi-function devices are also available. Guest usage options range from complimentary to fee-based for those hotels looking to drive significant revenue with little to no investment. Experience Counts: Founded in 2002, Eleven’s technology now reaches more than 6 million guests every month. Both ElevenOS and ElevenGC provide powerful revenue management tools allowing hotels to remain competitive while adding incremental revenue to offset their guest technology investment. Eleven has rapidly become hospitality’s guest technology standard and is utilized by nearly all major hotel brands and leading boutique properties.

Infor Hospitality is designed to address the specialized requirements of hotels, resorts and casinos. With a full suite of financial and operations applications that allow your employees to focus on improving guest service and enhancing your bottom line. In the competitive hospitality industry, you need every advantage to decrease costs, improve profits, grow your business and keep your guests coming back for more. To do so, you need a technology partner that understands your business and can deliver globally innovative solutions. Like many hospitality companies, yours probably has a technology system that delivers front-of-the-house property management system (PMS) data, but doesn’t combine that data with back-of-the-house financial information for reporting. As a result, you manage your plans, budgets and forecasts with a time-consuming, error-prone collection of spreadsheets, or try to get a generic financial management system to fit your hospitality requirements. To make better decisions and drive more revenue, you need to connect your hospitality-specific strategy and plans to your frontand back-office systems, and to do that, you need multi-departmental hotel software that touches every area of your business, whether it’s your financial and asset team; central reservations or corporate office; on-property operations; sales, marketing and loyalty team; maintenance group; or coordinators of labor and staffing schedules. Change the way you work. Streamline your operations, centralize your processes, and increase your bookings with Infor, the world’s largest software company with a commitment to the hotel industry. Visit us at booth 701 to learn more.

Infor Hospitality Booth #701 www.infor.com/hospitality/

Special Advertising Section

HITEC 2014 57

Exhibitors | Company Listing 22MILES Wayfinding .........................1643 Ph: 408-837-0589 info@22miles.com www.22miles.com Digital Signage Internet Content Kiosks/Self Serve Mobile Applications TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV

Acentic Inc ........................................1543 Ph: 301-354-5057 info.americas@acentic.com www.acentic.com Broadband Digital Signage HSIA/Installation Network Management TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV

360Leo ..............................................1261 Ph: 416-214-1666 doliver@360vox.com www.360Leo.com Cloud Computing Managed Network Services Market Intelligence Network Management TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV

Acutek Solutions ..............................1631 Ph: 919-228-8357 info@acuteksolutions.com www.acuteksolutions.com Cloud Computing Housekeeping/Room Service Alerts HSIA/Installation In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV

Abacus 21 .........................................1723 Ph: 800-544-7310 sales@abacus21.com www.Abacus21.com Golf/Ski Management Inventory/Purchasing Menu/Recipe Creation/Analysis POS Spa Management

Adaco .................................................605 Ph: 203-838-3700 steve@adaco.com www.adaco.com Cloud Computing HR, Time and Labor Management Inventory Control Inventory/Purchasing Mobile Applications

Acenonyx ............................................127 Ph: 888-434-1119 sales@acenonyx.com www.acenonyx.com Housekeeping Automation Housekeeping/Room Service Alerts Kiosks/Self Serve Mobile Applications

ADTRAN ............................................1731 Ph: 800-9ADTRAN info@adtran.com www.adtran.com Cloud Computing HSIA/Installation Outsourced IT services VOIP Wi-Fi

HITEC 2014 Exhibit Supporters

AEI Communications Corp. ...............1335 Ph: 650-552-9416 info@aeicommunications.com www.aeicommunications.com Analog Phones IP Phones VOIP Agilysys, Inc. .....................................1119 Ph: 770-810-7949 daniel.strother@agilysys.com www.agilysys.com HR, Time and Labor Management Inventory/Purchasing Mobile Applications PMS POS Air2Data, HSIA ....................................959 Ph: 435-723-2020 s.peck@air2data.com www.air2data.com Credit Card & Payment Systems HSIA/Installation IT Outsourcing/Consulting Network Management Wi-Fi AirWatch by VMware ........................1319 Ph: 404-478-7500 sales@air-watch.com www.air-watch.com Cloud Computing Document Management Internet Content Mobile Applications Network Security

Companies listed in purple are HITEC 2014 sponsors.

The HITEC Exhibit Supporter package is designed to give HITEC supporting suppliers a way to be a part of the show after exhibit space sold out. Thank you to the participating companies for their support of HITEC and investment in the hospitality technology industry.

Above Property Ph: 239-263-7406 info@aboveproperty.com www.aboveproperty.com

New Voice Americas, Inc. Ph: 888-201-1684 sales@NewVoiceAmericas.com www.NewVoiceAmericas.com

DAPage, LLC Ph: 678-318-2680 sales@dapage.net www.dapage.net

The SmarTV Company Ph: 614-890-6090 inquiry@getsmartv.com www.getsmartv.com

HITEC 2014

VeloCloud, Inc. Ph: 408-768-1786 contact@velocloud.com www.velocloud.com

Page Head

HITEC 2014 59

COMPANY LISTING

Companies listed in purple are HITEC 2014 sponsors.

Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc. ....................1635 ruth.killeen@alcatel-lucent.com www.enterprise.alcatel-lucent.com Cloud Computing Digital Signage Emergency Management Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Managed Network Services

Archelon Enclosures .........................1656 Ph: 619-742-2062 dbesmer@archelonenclosures.com www.archelonenclosures.com Guest Business Centers Kiosks/Self Serve Mobile Applications POS

Allin Interactive ..................................113 Ph: 954-630-1020 InteractiveSales@Allin.com www.allin.com Mobile Applications TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment Wireless Communications

Aruba Networks ...............................1404 Ph: 408-227-4500 info@arubanetworks.com www.arubanetworks.com Data/Credit Card Security Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Internal Infrastructure Mobile Applications Multi Property Management Network Management Network Security Wi-Fi Wireless Communications

AllView Networks .............................1730 Ph: 888-982-8489 info@AllViewNetworks.com www.AllViewNetworks.com Advertising Specialties Internet Content TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Website Development/Design Wi-Fi American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute ..........................202 Ph: 407-999-8100 www.ahlei.org Training Anand Systems ...................................642 Ph: 800-431-4786 info@anandsystems.com www.AnandSystems.com Booking Engines HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) Multi Property Management PMS POS Anevia ................................................538 www.anevia-group.com Cloud Computing TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Aptech Computer Systems, Inc. ..........501 Ph: 800-245-0720 vueinfo@aptech-inc.com www.aptech-inc.com Accounting/Finance Budgeting/Forecasting Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse ERP/Accounting System Multi Property Management

HITEC 2014

Asian Media & Marketing Group ........126 www.amg.biz Advertising Specialties AT&T ...................................................235 www.business.att.com/enterprise/Family/ mobility-services/enhanced-push-to-talk/ Wireless Communications Attendance on Demand, Inc. ............1349 Ph: 800-465-9980 jasonm@attendanceondemand.com www.attendanceondemand.com Budgeting/Forecasting Cloud Computing HR, Time and Labor Management Mobile Applications at-visions ............................................535 Ph: 323-800-2051 contact@at-visions.com www.at-visions.com Digital Signage HSIA/Installation In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc Mobile Applications TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV ATX Networks ...................................1340 Ph: 814-502-5409 tbuck@atxnetworks.com www.atxnetworks.com Broadband Digital Signage TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment

AutoClerk Inc. .....................................141 Ph: 925-284-1005 sales@autoclerk.com Avaya ..................................................252 Ph: 678-421-5073 rasuttles@avaya.com www.avaya.com/usa/about-avaya Cloud-based PBX IP Phones Network Management Network Security Video/Teleconferencing AVPM ................................................1435 Ph: 954-636-4831 ken@avpmi.com www.AVPMi.com Guest Response/Guest Service/Guest Satisfaction Housekeeping Automation Luggage Control Parking Technology/Access Control POS Axxess Industries Inc. .......................1419 Ph: 866-680-2457 administration@axxind.com www.axxind.com Energy Management/Conservation Housekeeping Automation Housekeeping/Room Service Alerts In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc Wireless Communications B4Checkin Ltd. ....................................536 Ph: 902-423-3001 greg@b4checkin.com www.b4checkin.com Channel Management Computer Reservation Systems (CRS/Distribution) Global Distribution Systems (GDS) Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Pre/Post Stay E-Marketing Bank of America Merchant Services .1428 tellmore@bankofamericamerchant.com www.merch.bankofamerica.com Credit Card & Payment Systems Data/Credit Card Security Bartech Systems International .........1025 Ph: 702-369-5550 bruno@bartech.com www.bartech.com Automated Refreshment Centers

Broadband Hospitality .....................1301 Ph: 330-629-8848 cweingart@broadbandhospitality.com www.broadbandhospitality.com Broadband HSIA/Installation TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment Wi-Fi

Bittel Americas .................................1445 Ph: 888-924-8835 sales@bittelamericas.com www.bittelamericas.com Analog Phones Connectivity Panels/Charging Stations IP Phones Mobile Applications Radios & Music Systems Blueprint RF ........................................219 www.blueprintrf.com Kiosks/Self Serve Network Management Wi-Fi

Broadvine .........................................1649 Ph: 919-792-1619 rchoplin@broadvine.com www.broadvine.com Accounting/Finance Budgeting/Forecasting Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Cloud Computing ERP/Accounting System Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Market Intelligence Mobile Applications PMS Revenue/Yield Management

Book4Time Inc. .................................1303 Ph: 905-752-2588 sales@book4time.com www.book4time.com Booking Engines Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Inventory/Purchasing POS Spa Management

Bulk TV & Internet ..............................749 Ph: 888-970-0688 sales@bulktv.com www.bulktv.com HSIA/Installation TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment VOIP Wi-Fi

Booker ................................................114 Ph: 866-966-9798 www.booker.com Itinerary/Activities Management Social Media Spa Management

CallTek Center International, Inc. .....1330 Ph: 949-268-9128 sales@calltekcenter.com www.calltekcenter.com IT Outsourcing/Consulting Network Management Outsourced IT services Spa Management Wi-Fi

Bowers & Wilkins ................................534 Ph: 978-357-0442 agagliardi@bwgroupusa.com www.bowers-wilkins.com Radios & Music Systems Brandstand Products ..........................531 Ph: 972-388-1450 jen@brandstand.com www.brandstand.com Connectivity Panels/Charging Stations Radios & Music Systems

Card Scanning Solutions Inc. ............1558 Ph: 213-867-2622 gmuranaga@card-reader.com www.card-reader.com Casino Management Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Kiosks/Self Serve Mobile Applications Timeshare/Condo/Membership Management

Cardola Ltd. ......................................1721 Ph: 519-342-6632 sales@cardola.com www.cardola.com Itinerary/Activities Management Mobile Applications CCI Systems ......................................1412 Ph: 800-338-9299 info@ccisystems.com www.ccisystems.com/industries/hospitality.php Cloud-based PBX Managed Network Services Network Management VOIP Wi-Fi

COMPANY LISTING

BirchStreet Systems ............................849 Ph: 949-567-7081 lmceachern@birchstreet.net www.birchstreetsystems.com Accounting/Finance Inventory Control Inventory/Purchasing Menu/Recipe Creation/Analysis Procurement Systems

Celadon, Inc. .....................................1749 Ph: 415-472-1177 mgriswold@celadon.com www.celadon.com In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment Celayix Software ..............................1421 Ph: 604-683-7669 educate@celayix.com www.celayix.com/ Casino Management Cloud Computing HR, Time and Labor Management Cendyn/ONE ......................................1135 Ph: 855-795-4832 connect@cendynONE.com www.cendynONE.com Advertising Specialties Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Cloud Computing Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Internet Content Pre/Post Stay e-Marketing Market Intelligence Social Media Website Development/Design Cenetic ................................................544 Ph: 513-322-4188 nwright@cenetic.com www.cenetic.com Booking Engines Pre/Post Stay E-Marketing Spa Management Timeshare/Condo/Membership Management Website Development/Design

HITEC 2014 61

COMPANY LISTING

Companies listed in purple are HITEC 2014 sponsors.

Cenium ...............................................635 Ph: 877-623-6486 sales@cenium.com www.cenium.com Computer Reservation Systems (CRS/Distribution) ERP/Accounting System Golf/Ski Management Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) Mobile Applications Multi Property Management PMS POS Spa Management Cetis, Inc. ..........................................1405 Ph: 719-638-8821 info@cetisgroup.com www.cetisgroup.com Analog Phones In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc IP Phones VOIP Wi-Fi Charter Business .................................449 Ph: 626-221-4151 greg.miller@charter.com www.charterbusiness.com Disaster Recovery Managed Network Services Network Management TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Wi-Fi CheckMate ..........................................122 Ph: 888-997-2432 info@checkmate.io www.checkmate.io Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Mobile Applications Social Media ChefTec/Culinary Software Services ...326 Ph: 303-447-3334 marketing@culinarysoftware.com www.ChefTec.com Inventory Control Inventory/Purchasing Menu/Recipe Creation/Analysis Mobile Applications

HITEC 2014

Chetu Inc. ..........................................1423 Ph: 954-342-5676 shows@chetu.com www.chetu.com Booking Engines Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Digital Signage Kiosks/Self Serve PMS

Connect Call Global, LLC ....................757 Ph: 855-348-1800 info@connectcallglobal.com www.connectcallglobal.com Cloud-based PBX HSIA/Installation Premise-based PBX Wi-Fi Wireless Communications

Cisco Systems ...................................1126 Ph: 800-553-6387 adimilia@cisco.com www.cisco.com/go/hospitality IP Phones Network Management Video/Teleconferencing Wi-Fi Wireless Communications

Control4 ............................................1334 Ph: 801-523-3100 gwright@control4.com www.control4.com Door Locks Energy Management/Conservation Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Housekeeping Automation In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc

Clairvoyix ..........................................1605 Ph: 877-866-8693 info@clairvoyix.com www.clairvoyix.com Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Cloud Computing Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Market Intelligence Timeshare/Condo/Membership Management

Cornell School of Hotel Administration ..................................1727 www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/

Cleverdis ...........................................1456 Cloud 9 Mobility ...............................1658 Ph: 925-998-9626 info@cloud9mobility.com www.cloud9mobility.com Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Itinerary/Activities Management Mobile Applications Social Media Spa Management Coalfire .............................................1408 Ph: 303-554-6333 dmclain@coalfire.com www.coalfire.com Data/Credit Card Security Comcast Business .............................1141 Ph: 877-967-4999 www.business.comcast.com/hospitality Broadband Cloud-based PBX External Bandwidth HSIA/Installation TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV VOIP

Corning .............................................1557 Ph: 866-436-9266 www.corning.com/opcomm/nafta/en/index.aspx Wireless Communications Cotell International Limited .............1457 Cox Business .......................................419 Ph: 800-320-9206 alea.riley@cox.com www.coxbusiness.com IP Phones Premise-based PBX TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV VOIP Wi-Fi Crestron Electronics, Inc. ..................1413 Ph: 201-767-3400 mstegmann@crestron.com www.crestron.com/Default.asp CSI globalVCard paysystems ..............311 Ph: 239-947-5169 dgerry@csicorporatecard.com www.csicorporatecard.com Accounting/Finance Credit Card & Payment Systems Data/Credit Card Security Mobile Applications CSS Hotel Systems ............................1124

Cybage Software Inc. .........................422 Ph: 91-20-66041700 shamshu@cybage.com or travel@cybage.com www.cybage.com IT Outsourcing/Consulting Outsourced IT services Website Development/Design Danmagi ...........................................1752 Ph: 457-025-2671 info@danmagi.com www.danmagi.com HSIA/Installation Network Management Outsourced IT services Wi-Fi Data Plus Hospitality Solutions ........1206 Ph: 978-888-6300 sales@dphs.com www.dphs.com Accounting/Finance Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Cloud Computing ERP/Accounting System Inventory/Purchasing Datatrend Technologies, Inc. ..............856 Ph: 800-367-7472 lance.highum@datatrend.com www.datatrend.com HSIA/Installation Managed Network Services Wi-Fi Wireless Communications Datavision Technologies, Inc. ............1227 Ph: 954-433-3633 smarek@datavisiontech.com www.DatavisionTech.com Budgeting/Forecasting Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Revenue/Yield Management Deep Blue Communications ...............323 Ph: 518-434-4300 info@deepbluecommunications.com www.deepbluecommunications.com Network Management Wi-Fi Wireless Communications

Digital Alchemy ..................................249 Ph: 817-204-0840 Jasmine@data2gold.com www.digital-alchemy.com/ Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Mobile Applications DigiValet ...........................................1501 DIRECTV ..............................................841 Ph: 800-388-2505 www.directv.com/hotels TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment DISH ....................................................241 Ph: 414-388-8799 craig.snelgrove@dish.com www.dish.com/business TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment Video/Teleconferencing Display Systems International, Inc. ..1518 Ph: 877-934-6884 sales@displaysystemsintl.com www.displaysystemsintl.com/ Digital Signage TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Dometic ..............................................761 Ph: 574-294-2511 peter.kuzyk@dometic.com www.dometic.com/hotel Automated Refreshment Centers Guest Safes In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc

EarthBend Distribution .......................149 Ph: 605-789-5700 ryan.donovan@earthbend.com www.earthbend.com/national-distribution/ Call Accounting IP Phones Network Security Video/Teleconferencing Wi-Fi Edge Communications ......................1755 Ph: 866-800-4143 hwerthamer@edgecommunications.com www.edgecommunications.com Broadband Data/Credit Card Security Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Managed Network Services Network Management Network Security Premise-based PBX VOIP Wi-Fi Wireless Communications

COMPANY LISTING

Cvent ................................................1361 Ph: 703-226-3500 kwittemann@cvent.com Itinerary/Activities Management Mobile Applications

Elavon .................................................611 www.elavon.com Credit Card & Payment Systems POS Electric Mirror ..................................1144 Ph: 425-776-4946 m.welch@electricmirror.com www.electricmirror.com Audio Visual Equipment/Systems In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc TV Equipment

Duetto ..............................................1726 Ph: 415-968-9389 sales@duettoresearch.com www.duettoresearch.com

Electro-Media Design, Ltd. ...............1045 Ph: 301-355-5050 mail@electro-media.com www.electro-media.com Audio Visual Equipment/Systems

DuVoice Corporation ..........................328 Ph: 425-889-9790 sales@duvoice.com www.duvoice.com Housekeeping Automation Inventory Control Multi Property Management PMS Voice Mail

Eleven ...............................................1441 Ph: 503-222-4321 sales@elevenwireless.com www.elevenwireless.com Guest Business Centers HSIA/Installation Internet Content Kiosks/Self Serve Wi-Fi

HITEC 2014 63

COMPANY LISTING

Companies listed in purple are HITEC 2014 sponsors.

Elfiq Networks ....................................640 Ph: 800-GO-ELFIQ sbronken@elfiq.com www.elfiq.com Broadband Disaster Recovery External Bandwidth HSIA/Installation Network Management

EthoStream .........................................858 Ph: 877-282-2519 sales@ethostream.com www.ethostream.com Cloud Computing HSIA/Installation Managed Network Services Wi-Fi Wireless Communications

Encore Event Technologies .................206 Ph: 847-221-3700 sales@encore-us.com www.encore-us.com Audio Visual Equipment/Systems Digital Signage Guest Business Centers HSIA/Installation IT Outsourcing/Consulting

Evention ...........................................1211 Ph: 877-273-5688 info@eventionllc.com www.eventionllc.com Accounting/Finance Cash Management HR, Time and Labor Management

Eng Infotech .....................................1653 Ph: 800-507-7336 info@enginfotech.com www.enginfotech.com Internal Infrastructure IT Outsourcing/Consulting Pre/Post Stay E-Marketing Training Engineered Lifestyles .......................1353 Ph: 707-975-1196 stoland@englifestyles.com www.englifestyles.com HSIA/Installation In-room Controls – HVAC/Lights/etc IT Outsourcing/Consulting TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment Enseo, Inc. .........................................1110 Ph: 972-234-2513 sales@enseo.com www.enseo.com Audio Visual Equipment/Systems Digital Signage Emergency Management TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment Entertainment Solutions ..................1343 Ph: 34911867001 tech.sales@entertainment-solutions.com www.entertainment-solutions.com Cloud Computing Digital Signage Engineering/Equipment Management Mobile Applications TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV

HITEC 2014

Evolve Guest Controls ........................429 Ph: 855-750-9090 www.evolvecontrols.com Cloud Computing Energy Management/Conservation Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction In-room Controls – HVAC/Lights/etc Wireless Communications eZee Technosys, PVT Ltd ...................1753 Ph: 919727709911 info@ezeetechnosys.com www.ezeetechnosys.com Booking Engines Channel Management Cloud Computing Mobile Applications PMS Falcon IP/Complete ...........................1549 Ph: 573-276-5169 support@falconipcomplete.com www.falconipcomplete.com HSIA/Installation TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment Wi-Fi Wireless Communications FCS ......................................................409 Ph: 678-852-5911 cris.davidson@planet1world.com www.fcscs.com Engineering/Equipment Management Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Housekeeping Automation Mobile Applications Voice Mail

Fingi Inc. ...........................................1601 Ph: 212-419-4646 info@fingi.com www.fingi.com/ Cloud-based PBX Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction In-room Controls – HVAC/Lights/etc Mobile Applications TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Flip.to .................................................130 Ph: 817-704-3930 www.flip.to Advertising Specialties Market Intelligence Social Media Flyte Systems ....................................1235 Ph: 877-463-5983 sales@flytesystems.com www.flytesystems.com Audio Visual Equipment/Systems Cloud Computing Digital Signage Guest Business Centers Itinerary/Activities Management Kiosks/Self Serve Social Media TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV FOOD-TRAK .......................................1109 Ph: 480-951-8011 www.foodtrak.com Cloud Computing Inventory Control Inventory/Purchasing Menu/Recipe Creation/Analysis Procurement Systems Four Winds Interactive ......................1509 Ph: 720-259-5000 sales@fourwindsinteractive.com www.fourwindsinteractive.com Digital Signage Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Kiosks/Self Serve Mobile Applications Network Management Galaxy Hotel Systems .......................1105 Ph: 714-258-5800 sales@galaxyhotelsystems.com www.galaxyhotelsystems.com Housekeeping/Room Service Alerts Multi Property Management PMS Training

GoConcierge .....................................1312 Ph: 818-263-8993 adam@goconcierge.net www.goconcierge.net/home Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Goodman Co., LP-Amana PTAC Sales .. 231 Ph: 800-647-2982 ptacsales@goodmanmfg.com www.amana-ptac.com Energy Management/Conservation Gossamer Networks ...........................154 Ph: 800-398-2721 bwhite@gossamernet.com www.gossamernet.com IP Phones Managed Network Services Premise-based PBX Voice Mail VOIP Ground Labs .....................................1541 Ph: 360-930-0311 enquiries@groundlabs.com www.groundlabs.com/ Credit Card & Payment Systems Data/Credit Card Security Network Security Guest Direct ........................................655 Ph: 800-332-3756 sales@customerdirect.com www.guestdirect.com Computer Reservation Systems (CRS/Distribution) Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction HSIA/Installation Table/Reservation/Waitlist Management GuestDriven ......................................1750 Ph: 514-843-6558 info@guestdriven.com www.guestdriven.com Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Market Intelligence Mobile Applications Social Media

Guest-tek ............................................209 Ph: 403-509-1010 info@guest-tek.com Guestware ..........................................519 Ph: 206-233-0110 sales@guestware.com www.guestware.com Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Cloud Computing Document Management Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Housekeeping Automation Housekeeping/Room Service Alerts Multi Property Management Pre/Post Stay E-Marketing Radio/Paging/SMS HandHeld Hospitality .........................225 Ph: 877-331-3777 sandi@handheldhospitality.com www.handheldhospitality.com Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Itinerary/Activities Management Mobile Applications Website Development/Design Harman International .........................248 Ph: 818-893-8411 Hospitality@harman.com www.harman.com Audio Visual Equipment/Systems Connectivity Panels/Charging Stations Radio/Paging/SMS Radios & Music Systems TV Equipment HeadsUp FD ........................................961 Ph: 773-772-0912 clark@miscomputer.com www.headsupfd.com Casino Management Data/Credit Card Security Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Security Systems Hear My Lips .....................................1522 Ph: 781-354-3933 info@HearMyLips.com www.HearMyLips.com Audio Visual Equipment/Systems Digital Signage Mobile Applications TV Equipment Wi-Fi

HeBS Digital .......................................442 Ph: 212-752-8186 success@hebsdigital.com www.hebsdigital.com Advertising Specialties Budgeting/Forecasting Internet Content Social Media Website Development/Design Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) ...........................455 Ph: 512-249-5333 membership@hftp.org www.hftp.org Industry Publication Related Association Training

COMPANY LISTING

G-LINK ..............................................1041 Ph: 480-464-8101 jon@ciinet.com www.glinkconnect.com/ Audio Visual Equipment/Systems Connectivity Panels/Charging Stations TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment Wireless Communications

Hisense USA ......................................1559 Ph: 678-318-9060 pr@hisense-usa.com www.hisense-usa.com/ TV Equipment Homisco, Inc. .....................................1358 Ph: 800-370-8353 / 781-665-1997 sdill@homisco.com; rcontrado@homisco.com www.homisco.com Call Accounting Cloud-based PBX Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Voice Mail Hospitality Technical Services ..........1248 Ph: 859-795-0464 sales@htsnow.com www.htsnow.com HSIA/Installation Wi-Fi

Hospitality Technology Magazine .....1554 Ph: 973-607-1360 lomeara@edgellmail.com www.htmagazine.com Hospitality Upgrade .........................1640 Ph: 678-802-5302 geneva@hospitalityupgrade.com www.hospitalityupgrade.com Hospitality WiFi ................................1719 Ph: 800-464-0831 sales@hospitalitywifi.com www.hospitalitywifi.com Wi-Fi Wireless Communications

HITEC 2014 65

COMPANY LISTING

Companies listed in purple are HITEC 2014 sponsors.

hospitalityPulse ................................1058 Ph: 831-316-4931 pierre@hospitalityPulse.com www.hospitalityPulse.com Cloud Computing Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Inventory Control Revenue/Yield Management Hotel Business Magazine ....................151 Ph: 631-246-9300 jays@hotelbusiness.com hotelbusiness.com Hotel Internet Services .....................1040 Ph: 866-265-7575 x701 sales@hotelwifi.com www.hotelwifi.com HSIA/Installation Network Management TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Wi-Fi Wireless Communications Hotel Management .............................152 Ph: 609-257-3412 avaxman@questex.com hotelmanagement.net Hotel News Now .................................250 hotel SystemsPro ..............................1151 Ph: 770-303-9911 sales@hotelsystemspro.com www.hotelsystemspro.com Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Revenue/Yield Management HotelEXPERT .......................................506 Ph: 212-619-4800 sales@hotelexpert.com www.hotelexpert.com Engineering/Equipment Management Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Housekeeping Automation Hotelogix ............................................229 Ph: 214-245-4631 sales@hotelogix.com www.hotelogix.com/ Computer Reservation Systems (CRS)/ Distribution HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) Multi Property Management PMS Revenue/Yield Management

HITEC 2014

HOTELS Magazine .............................1737 Hoteza ..............................................1542 Ph: +358414755167 sales@hoteza.com www.hoteza.com/ Digital Signage Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction HSIA/Installation Mobile Applications Hotwire Communications .................1354 Ph: 800-40-WIRED fisionstay@hotwiremail.com TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Wi-Fi Wireless Communications HTNG ................................................1149 Ph: 847-303-5560 info@htng.org www.htng.org Related Association iDashboards ........................................224 Ph: 248-528-7160 info1@idashboards.com www.iDashboards.com Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse IDScan.net ..........................................148 Ph: 888-430-8936 zubin@idscan.net www.IDScan.net Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) Multi Property Management PMS POS iLuv Creative Technology ..................1454 Ph: 516-626-7188 park.jason@iLuv.com www.iLuv.com Radios & Music Systems Immersion Companies ........................349 Ph: 702-233-8212 mark@immersioncompanies.com www.immersioncompanies.com/ Booking Engines Cloud Computing Outsourced IT services PMS Training

Indra ...................................................643 Ph: 214-554-3851 crheams@indracompany.com www.indracompany.com/en Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Cloud Computing Computer Reservation Systems(CRS)/ Distribution ERP/Accounting System Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) Multi Property Management PMS POS Website Development/Design Infor ....................................................701 Ph: 800-260-2640 hospitality@infor.com www.infor.com/solutions/hospitality/ Accounting/Finance Budgeting/Forecasting Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Energy Management/Conservation ERP/Accounting System Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) HR, Time and Labor Management PMS Revenue/Yield Management Info-Tech Research Group ................1741 Ph: 519-432-3550 efont@infotech.com www.infotech.com/ InfoValue Computing, Inc. ................1213 Ph: 914-345-5980 webadmin@infovalue.com www.infovalue.com Digital Signage HSIA/Installation Mobile Applications TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Video/Teleconferencing Ingenico ..............................................118 Ph: 800-252-1140 info.us@ingenico.com www.ingenico.us Credit Card and Payment System POS

InnLink / Trust International .............1326 Ph: 615-264-8080 victoria.vanderveer@travlynx.com www.travlynx.com Booking Engines Computer Reservation Systems(CRS)/ Distribution Global Distribution Systems (GDS) Multi Property Management Website Development/Design innRoad ............................................1360 Ph: 855-INN-ROAD sales@innroad.com www.innroad.com Booking Engines Computer Reservation Systems(CRS)/ Distribution HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) PMS Revenue/Yield Management Intelity ..............................................1529 Ph: 888-REVPAR-1 ice@intelitycorp.com www.intelitycorp.com/main/ Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Housekeeping/Room Service Alerts Kiosks/Self Serve Mobile Applications TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Intellicheck Mobilisa ..........................153 Ph: 360-344-3233 info@ICmobile.com www.ICmobile.com Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) Kiosks/Self Serve PMS POS

Intello Technologies Inc. .....................527 Ph: 888-404-6268 sales@intello.com www.intello.com Digital Signage Energy Management/Conservation HSIA/Installation Wi-Fi Interactive Sites .................................259 Ph: 480-707-1600 sales@interactivesites.com www.interactivesites.com Internet Content Mobile Applications Pre/Post Stay E-Marketing Website Development/Design INTEREL ..............................................335 www.interelme.com Energy Management/Conservation InvoTech Systems, Inc. ........................240 Ph: 818-461-9800 sales@invotech.com www.invotech.com Inventory Control Linen Control Security Systems Uniform Control IQWare Inc. .........................................619 Ph: 954-698-5151 sales@iqwareinc.com www.iqwareinc.com Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction PMS Revenue/Yield Management Timeshare/Condo/Membership Management iRiS Software Systems Ltd ..................741 Ph: +44 (0) 2070999242 sales@irisvalet.com www.iris.net Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc Mobile Applications iTesso-Enterprise Lodging Systems ..1449 Ph: 404-687-0040 info@itesso.com www.itesso.com Channel Management Computer Reservation Systems(CRS)/ Distribution HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) Multi Property Management PMS

JANUS Displays ...................................727 Ph: 727-531-4000 info@janusdisplays.com www.janusdisplays.com Digital Signage Jive Communications ........................1560 Ph: 801-717-1536 nharris@getjive.com www.jive.com Call Accounting Cloud-based PBX IP Phones Voice Mail VOIP

COMPANY LISTING

INNCOM by Honeywell .....................1201 Ph: 860-739-4468 solutions@inncom.com www.inncom.com Door Locks Energy Management/Conservation Guest Safes Housekeeping Automation Housekeeping/Room Service Alerts In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc Multi Property Management Network Management PMS Wireless Communications

Jonas Club Management and clubsystems group ............................1108 Ph: 905-470-4600 sales@jonasclub.com www.jonasclub.com Accounting/Finance Document Management HR, Time and Labor Management Mobile Applications Website Development/Design Just In Time Communications .............755 www.justintime.tv KABA ILCO SAFLOK .............................513 Ph: 800-999-6213 infolodging@kaba.com www.kabalodging.com Door Locks Security Systems Knowcross ..........................................305 Ph: 866-601-5669 sales@knowcross.com www.knowcross.com Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Housekeeping Automation Housekeeping/Room Service Alerts Mobile Applications KOR Systems .......................................439 Ph: 877-535-7993 sales@korsystems.com www.korsystems.com HSIA/Installation Internal Infrastructure Premise-based PBX VOIP Wi-Fi

HITEC 2014 67

COMPANY LISTING

Companies listed in purple are HITEC 2014 sponsors.

Kronos ..............................................1629 Ph: 978-250-9800 www.kronos.com Budgeting/Forecasting Cloud Computing HR, Time and Labor Management Kube Systems .....................................156 Ph: 516-996-0005 davew@ramler.com www.kubesystems.com Audio Visual Equipment/Systems Connectivity Panels/Charging Stations Radios & Music Systems LEIGHTRONIX, INC ..............................754 Ph: 517-694-8000 sales@leightronix.com www.leightronix.com/ Audio Visual Equipment/Systems Channel Management Digital Signage TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment LG Electronics USA, Inc. ......................819 LOCATEL ............................................1254 Ph: +33(0) 141 977 400 service.commercial@locatel.net www.locatel.net/ Mobile Applications PMS TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment Wi-Fi LODGING Media .................................142 Ph: 215-321-9662 tkenevich@lodgingmagazine.com www.lodgingmagazine.com Industry Publication Lodging Technology ..........................1660 Ph: 540-362-7500 info@lodgingtechnology.com www.lodgingtechnology.com Energy Management/Conservation Logiclink, Inc. ....................................1619 Ph: 949-753-1190 rgil@logiclink.com www.logiclink.com Guest Business Centers Kiosks/Self Serve Mobile Applications Remote Guest Printing Spa Management

HITEC 2014

LPA Systems ......................................1724 Ph: 585-419-3900 sales@lpa.com www.lpa.com Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Lynx Broadband ..................................542 Ph: 952-894-9590 info@lynxbroadband.com www.lynxbroadband.com Audio Visual Equipment/Systems TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment M3 Accounting & Analytics ...............1622 Ph: 770-531-3730 scott@m3as.com www.M3as.com Accounting/Finance Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Document Management HR, Time and Labor Management Multi Property Management Maclocks ...........................................1359 Ph: 512-333-1641 jk@compulocks.com www.maclocks.com Connectivity Panels/Charging Stations Kiosks/Self Serve POS MagTek, Inc. ........................................420 Ph: 562-546-6400 andy.deignan@magtek.com www.magtek.com Credit Card & Payment Systems Data/Credit Card Security Kiosks/Self Serve Mobile Applications POS Matrix Telecom .................................1521 MCOM Media Communications ........1342 Ph: 302106839454 info@mcoms.com www.mcoms.com Channel Management Digital Signage Mobile Applications TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment Meetings Maker .................................440 Ph: 760-535-3700 rich.kraus@meetingsmaker.com www.meetingsmaker.com Booking Engines Computer Reservation Systems(CRS)/ Distribution Guest Business Centers Mobile Applications

Megasys Hospitality Solutions .........1625 Ph: 918-743-0100 sales@megasyshms.com www.megasyshms.com Global Distribution Systems (GDS) HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) PMS POS Merchant Link .....................................626 Ph: 866-853-3845 sales@merchantlink.com www.merchantlink.com Credit Card & Payment Systems Data/Credit Card Security Meru Networks ...................................329 Ph: 408-215-5300 hospitality@merunetworks.com www.merunetworks.com HSIA/Installation Internal Infrastructure Mobile Applications Network Management Wi-Fi Metropolis Technologies, Inc. .............630 Ph: 954-414-2900 info2014@metropolis.com www.metropolis.com Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Call Accounting Emergency Management Multi Property Management Network Management MICROS Systems, Inc. .........................709 Ph: 443-285-6000 info@micros.com www.micros.com Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Casino Management Computer Reservation Systems(CRS)/ Distribution Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) Mobile Applications Multi Property Management PMS POS Table/Reservation/Waitlist Management Milestone Internet Marketing, Inc. .....644 Ph: 888-350-8396 sales@milestoneinternet.com www.milestoneinternet.com/ Advertising Specialties Website Development/Design

Multicom, Inc. ...................................1618 Ph: 800-423-2594 multicom@multicominc.com www.multicominc.com Broadband Digital Signage TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment Wi-Fi

Miwa Lock Co., Ltd. ..........................1140 Ph: 949-328-5280 chris@miwalock.com www.miwalock.com Door Locks Security Systems

my HotelApp .......................................150 Ph: +569-92514054 sgiacoman@myhotelapp.cl www.myhotelapp.cl Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Kiosks/Self Serve Mobile Applications

Mobile Simple ..................................1751 Ph: 514-295-5944 christelle@mobile-simple.com www.mobile-simple.com Automated Refreshment Centers Cloud Computing Mobile Applications Monscierge, Inc. ................................1061 Ph: 888-426-5730 info@monscierge.com www.monscierge.com Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Kiosks/Self Serve Mobile Applications Moreton Bay Technology Pty. Ltd. ......407 Ph: 61299588298 sales@mbtcheck.com www.mbtcheck.com Budgeting/Forecasting Inventory Control Inventory/Purchasing Menu/Recipe Creation/Analysis Procurement Systems Motorola Solutions .............................756 Ph: 847-576-5000 www.motorolasolutions.com Network Security Radio/Paging/SMS VOIP Wi-Fi Wireless Communications MSI (Multi-Systems Inc.) ...................1019 Ph: 800-331-7890 info@msisolutions.com www.msisolutions.com/ Cloud Computing Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) Mobile Applications PMS

NationalLink .....................................1739 Ph: 800-363-9835 sales@nationallink.com www.nationallinkatm.com Accounting/Finance Cash Management Credit Card & Payment Systems Kiosks/Self Serve NAVIS ................................................1329 Ph: 541-385-5255 Info@TheNavisWay.com www.HITEC.MeetNavis.com Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Call Accounting Computer Reservation Systems(CRS)/ Distribution Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Pre/Post Stay E-Marketing nCLOSE-POSenclosures.com ...............854 Ph: 310-264-4096 support@POSenclosures.com www.POSenclosures.com Credit Card & Payment Systems Kiosks/Self Serve Mobile Applications POS Wireless Communications NEC Corporation of America ..............827 Ph: 214-262-6154 mike.gray@necam.com www.necam.com Cloud-based PBX Digital Signage IP Phones Mobile Applications Premise-based PBX Security Systems Voice Mail VOIP Wireless Communications

Neudesic .............................................657 Ph: 949-754-4500 kristen.metcalfe@neudesic.com www.neudesic.com Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Casino Management Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/Guest Satisfaction Market Intelligence Nevotek ..............................................112 Ph: 630-618-1740 suman@nevotek-usa.com www.nevotek.com Call Accounting In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc Mobile Applications TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Voice Mail

COMPANY LISTING

Mitel Corporation ...............................355 Ph: 613-592-2122 walt_dryfoos@mitel.com www.mitel.com Cloud-based PBX IP Phones Premise-based PBX Voice Mail Wireless Communications

Newmarket International, Inc. ...........901 Ph: 603-436-7500 marketinginfo@newmarketinc.com www.newmarketinc.com Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Housekeeping/Room Service Alerts Market Intelligence Multi Property Management Nomadix ...........................................1327 Ph: 818-597-1500 sales@nomadix.com www.nomadix.com Broadband HSIA/Installation Network Management Network Security Wi-Fi Nor1 Inc. ...........................................1607 Ph: 408-850-9937 sales@nor1.com www.nor1.com/ Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Channel Management Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Market Intelligence Revenue/Yield Management NORTHWIND â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Maestro Property Management System ..........................719 Ph: 905-940-1923 marketing@maestropms.com www.maestropms.com PMS

HITEC 2014 69

COMPANY LISTING

Companies listed in purple are HITEC 2014 sponsors.

One Safe Place Media Corp. ...............541 Ph: 972-465-8623 sscheffe@onesafeplace.com www.onesafeplace.com Disaster Recovery Emergency Management IT Outsourcing/Consulting Managed Network Services Outsourced IT services Onity .................................................1113 Ph: 866-866-6489 moreinfo@onity.com www.onity.com Door Locks Energy Management/Conservation Guest Safes OpenWays .........................................1209 Ph: 605-310-4971 contact@openways.com www.openways.com/ Door Locks Kiosks/Self Serve Mobile Applications Security Systems Optii Solutions ..................................1555 Ph: +61731235444 soenke.weiss@optiisolutions.com www.optiisolutions.com Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Housekeeping Automation Housekeeping/Room Service Alerts HR, Time and Labor Management Mobile Applications Training PalVision (Singapore) Pte Ltd .............424 Ph: +6562356228 ravinderpal@palvision.com www.palvision.com Digital Signage HSIA/Installation Mobile Applications Network Management TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV

HITEC 2014

PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc. .....1219 Ph: 802-253-7377 info@springermiller.com www.atrio.com Booking Engines Cloud Computing Computer Reservation Systems(CRS)/ Distribution Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) Itinerary/Activities Management Multi Property Management PMS POS Spa Management PAS ......................................................418 Ph: 800-256-8928 info@profact.com www.profact.com Accounting/Finance Budgeting/Forecasting Cloud Computing IT Outsourcing/Consulting Outsourced IT Services Passkey, Now A Part of Lanyon .........1129 Ph: 781-373-4100 info@passkey.com www.passkey.com Booking Engines Computer Reservation Systems(CRS)/ Distribution Global Distribution Systems (GDS) Market Intelligence Pre/Post Stay E-Marketing Percipia .............................................1400 Ph: 800-806-0408 ksmolko@percipianetworks.com www.percipianetworks.com Mobile Applications Premise-based PBX Voice Mail VOIP Website Development/Design PhoneSuite .........................................413 Ph: 800-245-9933 sales@phonesuite.com www.phonesuite.com Call Accounting Cloud-based PBX Premise-based PBX Voice Mail VOIP

Phybridge .........................................1259 Ph: 905-901-3633 linda.bisogno@phybridge.com www.phybridge.com IP Phones Managed Network Services VOIP Pico Digital .........................................324 Ph: 858-546-5050 sales@picodigital.com www.picodigital.com Broadband Network Management TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment Pinnacle Communications ................1114 Ph: 301-601-0777 ddorough@pinnaclecommunications.com www.pinnaclecommunications.com Cloud-based PBX Premise-based PBX TV Equipment VOIP Wi-Fi Planet Payment ...................................525 Ph: 516-670-3200 info@planetpayment.com www.planetpayment.com Credit Card & Payment Systems Data/Credit Card Security POS PrinterOn ..........................................1308 Ph: 519-748-2848 sales@printeron.com www.printeron.com Cloud Computing Mobile Applications Remote Guest Printing ProfitSword ........................................941 Ph: 407-909-8822 colin@profitsword.com www.profitsword.com Accounting/Finance Budgeting/Forecasting Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Multi Property Management Quadriga Worldwide ...........................119 Ph: +44 (0)1189306030 www.quadriga.com Rainmaker ........................................1310 Ph: 678-578-5700 JWallace@LetItRain.com www.letitrain.com/gaming-and-hospitalityproduct-suite/ Revenue/Yield Management

Revinate ...........................................1620 Ph: 415-671-4703 info@revinate.com www.revinate.com Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Social Media

ReactorNet Technologies ..................1743 Ph: 210-477-0200 tonyk@reactornet.com www.reactornet.com Accounting/Finance Budgeting/Forecasting Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Inventory/Purchasing Procurement Systems

Roam Boost ........................................343 Ph: 978-777-8787 mgarvin@roamingaround.com www.roamboost.com Cell Phone Coverage Wireless Communications

RedRock Software ............................1603 Ph: 702-968-7851 info@redrocksoftware.com www.redrocksoftware.com Inventory Control Inventory/Purchasing Menu/Recipe Creation/Analysis Procurement Systems Resort Data Processing ....................1204 Ph: 970-845-1153 Nates@resortdata.com www.Resortdata.com Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Mobile Applications PMS Revenue/Yield Management Timeshare/Condo/Membership Management ResortSuite .........................................507 Ph: 416-259-0715 info@resortsuite.com www.resortsuite.com/ Booking Engines Golf/Ski Management Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Itinerary/Activities Management Mobile Applications PMS POS Pre/Post Stay E-Marketing Spa Management Timeshare/Condo/Membership Management

RoamingAround ..................................345 Ph: 978-777-8787 mgarvin@roamingaround.com www.roamingaround.com Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/Guest Satisfaction Market Intelligence Mobile Applications Social Media RoomKey PMS ....................................145 Ph: 800-234-5695 sales@roomkeypms.com www.roomkeypms.com Booking Engines Cloud Computing Computer Reservation Systems(CRS)/ Distribution Global Distribution Systems (GDS) Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Multi Property Management PMS Revenue/Yield Management RoomNetTV ......................................1452 Ph: 877-644-7666 sales@room-net.com Guest Business Centers HSIA/Installation Managed Network Services TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Wi-Fi Ruckus Wireless ................................1155 Ph: 408-483-9659 robyn.schechter@ruckuswireless.com www.ruckuswireless.com Wi-Fi

Runtriz ..............................................1713 Ph: 323-230-9727 info@runtriz.com www.runtriz.com/ Digital Signage Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Housekeeping/Room Service Alerts Mobile Applications TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Safety NetAccess, Inc. .......................1059 Ph: 617-268-1134 sales@safetynetaccess.com www.safetynetaccess.com/ Broadband Managed Network Services Network Management Wi-Fi Wireless Communications

COMPANY LISTING

RCN Business Services ........................129 Ph: 877-726-7000 www.rcn.com Broadband Cloud-based PBX Managed Network Services TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Wi-Fi

Salto Systems Inc. ...............................835 Ph: 770-452-6091 i.murga@saltosystems.com www.saltosystems.com Security Systems Samsung Electronics ...........................949 Ph: 201-229-4000 ebdmarcom@sea.samsung.com www.samsung.com/business Cloud Computing Digital Signage Document Management Guest Business Centers Managed Network Services Sceptre Hospitality Resources ............549 Ph: 800-252-0522 info@sceptrehospitality.com www.sceptrehospitality.com Booking Engines Computer Reservation Systems(CRS)/ Distribution Global Distribution Systems (GDS) Spa Management Website Development/Design Schneider Electric .............................1523 Ph: 972-822-4636 info@buildings.schneider-electric.com www.schneider-electric.com/US/ Disaster Recovery Energy Management/Conservation In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc Security Systems

HITEC 2014 71

COMPANY LISTING

Companies listed in purple are HITEC 2014 sponsors.

SecurityMetrics ...................................131 Ph: 801-724-9600 info@securitymetrics.com www.securitymetrics.com Data/Credit Card Security Network Security Select-TV-Solutions ...........................1458 Ph: 844-FOR-STVS info@selectvsolutions.com www.selectvsolutions.com Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Sertifi eSignatures ............................1556 Ph: 866-983-8877 sales@sertifi.com www.sertifi.com Credit Card & Payment Systems Data/Credit Card Security Document Management Mobile Applications Shift4 Corporation ............................1535 Ph: 702-597-2480 marketing@shift4.com www.shift4.com/ Accounting/Finance Credit Card & Payment Systems Data/Credit Card Security Mobile Applications SIHOT Hotel Management Software ..255 Ph: +49 6821 9646 0 info@sihot.com www.sihot.com Channel Management Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) Multi Property Management Revenue/Yield Management Single Digits .......................................945 Ph: 603-657-3755 rbohac@singledigits.com www.singledigits.com HSIA/Installation Managed Network Services Network Management PMS Wi-Fi SiteMinder ..........................................443 Ph: 800-511-6038 enquiries@siteminder.com www.siteminder.com/ Booking Engines Channel Management

HITEC 2014

SIX Payment Services .........................543 Ph: 888-727-0220 x151 www.six-payment-services.com Credit Card & Payment Systems Data/Credit Card Security SkyTouch Technology ..........................201 Ph: 602-337-2800 socialmedia@skytouchtechnology.com www.skytouchtechnology.com Channel Management Cloud Computing HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) Mobile Applications PMS SkyWire Inc. ........................................144 Ph: 702-515-7472 rcarlson@skywire.com www.skywire.com Advertising Specialties HR, Time and Labor Management POS Table/Reservation/Waitlist Management Website Development/Design Smart Hospitality .............................1715 Ph: 877-697-7115 sales@smarthospitality.tv www.smarthospitality.com Connectivity Panels/Charging Stations HSIA/Installation TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment Wi-Fi Social Tables .....................................1651 jesse@socialtables.com www.socialtables.com Audio Visual Equipment/Systems Cloud Computing Internal Infrastructure Inventory Control Mobile Applications SONIFI Solutions, Inc. .........................811 Ph: 605-988-1000 www.sonifi.com Broadband HSIA/Installation Mobile Applications TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Wi-Fi Sonu Satellite ...................................1128 Ph: 877-307-6677 sales@sonusatellite.com www.sonusatellite.com TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment

Sovee ..................................................226 Ph: 855-99-SOVEE (76833) info@sovee.com www.sovee.com/ Advertising Specialties Guest Response/Guest Service/Guest Satisfaction Kiosks/Self Serve Website Development/Design Squirrel Systems .................................624 Ph: 800-388-6824 info@squirrelsystems.com www.squirrelsystems.com Credit Card & Payment Systems Data/Credit Card Security Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Mobile Applications POS Status Solutions .................................125 Ph: 877-846-7272 info@statussolutions.com www.statussolutions.com/ Digital Signage Emergency Management Kiosks/Self Serve Security Systems Wireless Communications StayNTouch Inc. ..................................124 Ph: 301-678-9595 tim@stayntouch.com www.stayntouch.com Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Housekeeping Automation Kiosks/Self Serve Mobile Applications PMS Sunray ...............................................1426 Ph: 760-568-4545 sales@sunraytvi.com www.sunraytvi.com HSIA/Installation IT Outsourcing/Consulting Managed Network Services Outsourced IT services Wi-Fi Swisscom Hospitality Services .........1035 Ph: 866-411-4742 marketing.hospitality@swisscom.com www.swisscom.com/hospitality HSIA/Installation Managed Network Services Network Management TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Wi-Fi

Systems Design & Development, Inc. (SDD) ................................................1013 Ph: 561-276-7004 sales@jazz-fusion.net www.jazz-fusion.net Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Call Accounting Cloud-based PBX IT Outsourcing/Consulting Multi Property Management TAC/The Assistant Company ...............319 Ph: 847-869-3150 office@tac.us.com www.tac.eu.com/en Golf/Ski Management Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Itinerary/Activities Management Spa Management Table/Reservation/Waitlist Management Tangerine Global ................................228 Ph: 805-624-3000 info@tangerineglobal.com www.tangerineglobal.com Audio Visual Equipment/Systems Engineering/Equipment Management Table/Reservation/Waitlist Management TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment TE Connectivity ...................................435 Ph: 952-403-8310 kelly.evavold@te.com www.te.com Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Connectivity Panels/Charging Stations Integrated Antenna Systems Network Management Wireless Communications TeleAdapt Inc. ...................................1309 Ph: 775-355-8585 usa@teleadapt.com www.teleadapt.com Audio Visual Equipment/Systems Connectivity Panels/Charging Stations Radios & Music Systems TV Equipment Wi-Fi

Telecom Brokerage, Inc. ....................1351 Ph: 847-465-4500 info@tbicom.com www.tbicom.com Broadband Cloud Computing Cloud-based PBX Managed Network Services Outsourced IT services

TrackIT LLC/ RHR Sytems, Inc. ...........1031 Ph: 801-786-1923 robrodgers@rhrsystems.com www.trackitpackage.com Cloud Computing Golf/Ski Management Inventory/Purchasing Package Control Procurement Systems

Telkonet, Inc. ......................................855 Ph: 414-223-0473 mrehwald@telkonet.com www.telkonet.com Cloud Computing Energy Management/Conservation In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc Multi Property Management Wireless Communications

Transworld Services ..........................1448 Ph: 305-477-6999 sales@twsdistributors.com www.twsdistributors.com/ Digital Signage Guest Safes TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment

Tenerum ............................................1725 Ph: 727-898-6000 sales@tenerum.com www.tenerum.com Credit Card & Payment Systems Data/Credit Card Security Network Security PMS POS The Eric Ryan Corp. ...........................1241 Ph: 800-837-6406 info@ericryan.com www.ericryan.com Budgeting/Forecasting Energy Management/Conservation External Bandwidth Network Management VOIP Tidel Engineering L.P. .........................325 Ph: 972-484-3358 x219 sales@tidel.com www.tidel.com Cash Management TigerTMS Ltd ......................................935 Ph: +44 (0)1425 891090 admin@tigertms.com www.tigertms.com Call Accounting Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Housekeeping Automation HSIA/Installation Voice Mail

COMPANY LISTING

Systems Associates, Inc. .....................134 Ph: 419-354-3900 info@saicorporate.com www.saicorporate.com Energy Management/Conservation Engineering/Equipment Management Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Housekeeping Automation In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc

TravelClick, Inc. .................................1009 Ph: 212-817-4800 info@travelclick.com www.travelclick.com Booking Engines Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Computer Reservation Systems(CRS)/ Distribution Revenue/Yield Management Website Development/Design Trustwave ...........................................204 Ph: 312-873-7296 infosales@trustwave.com www.trustwave.com Data/Credit Card Security Network Security TTI Technologies ...............................1313 Ph: 646-218-2700 steve@ttitel.com www.ttitel.com Document Management Guest Business Centers Kiosks/Self Serve Mobile Applications Twisted Pair Solutions ........................341 Ph: 206-442-2101 info@twistpair.com www.twistpair.com/smarter-ptt VOIP Wireless Communications UIEvolution, Inc. .................................649

Time Warner Cable Business Class .....135 Ph: 414-908-4874 jacqui.corso@twcable.com business.twc.com

HITEC 2014 73

COMPANY LISTING

Companies listed in purple are HITEC 2014 sponsors.

Unify GmbH Co. KG ...........................1520 Ph: +4989700723884 david-leonhard.steinbauer@unify.com www.unify.com/us/ Cloud-based PBX Social Media Video/Teleconferencing VOIP Wireless Communications Uniguest ...........................................1613 Ph: 800-467-1218 info@uniguest.com www.uniguest.com Digital Signage Guest Business Centers Kiosks/Self Serve Untangle ...........................................1450 Ph: 408-598-4299 sales@untangle.com untangle.com Network Management Network Security Wi-Fi USA TODAY .......................................1414 Ph: 703-854-3400 www.usatoday.com Website Development/Design ValuePoint Networks ........................1315 Ph: 415-979-0600 x1 info@valuepointnet.com www.valuepointnet.com Broadband HSIA/Installation Network Security Wi-Fi Wireless Communications Vecima Networks ...............................138 Ph: 888-292-8266 sales@vecima.com www.vecima.com Audio Visual Equipment/Systems Broadband Managed Network Services TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Venture Telecom LLC .........................1252 Ph: 925-400-6310 pflowers@venturetelecom.com www.venturetelecom.com IP Phones Premise-based PBX VOIP

HITEC 2014

Venza Group, Inc. ................................330 Ph: 770-685-6500 sales@venzagroup.com www.venzagroup.com IT Outsourcing/Consulting Mobile Applications Training Verdant Environmental Technologies Inc. ..............................1249 Ph: 514-344-4448 sales@verdant.info www.verdant.info Energy Management/Conservation Engineering/Equipment Management In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc Verian ..............................................1735 Ph: 980-318-5417 mwier@verian.com www.verian.com Cloud Computing Outsourced IT services Procurement Systems VeriFone, Inc. ....................................1443 Ph: 727-953-4000 www.verifone.com Credit Card & Payment Systems Data/Credit Card Security POS Verizon ..............................................1355 Ph: 240-568-1528 brian.pollara@verizonwireless.com www.verizonenterprise.com/industry/travel/ Broadband Digital Signage Mobile Applications Social Media Wi-Fi Vertical Booking .................................128 Ph: 505-263-6128 mark.leiwsbrown@verticalbooking.com www.verticalbooking.com Booking Engines Channel Management Computer Reservation Systems(CRS)/ Distribution Global Distribution Systems (GDS) Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty

Viggo SNTV .......................................1255 Ph: +31654643443 sales@viggo-sntv.com www.viggo.tv Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Housekeeping/Room Service Alerts Mobile Applications TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV Wi-Fi VingCard Elsafe ..................................401 Ph: 972-907-2273 noram@vcegroup.com www.vingcardelsafe.com Door Locks Energy Management/Conservation Guest Safes In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc Security Systems Vision Technologies ............................140 Ph: 866-746-1122 info@visiontech.biz www.visiontech.biz Audio Visual Equipment/Systems Cell Phone Coverage Internal Infrastructure Network Management Wi-Fi Vocera Communications ...................1243 Ph: 408-882-5100 salesweb@vocera.com www.vocera.com/ Voxer ................................................1410 Ph: 415-489-3400 sales@voxer.com www.voxer.com Mobile Applications Radio/Paging/SMS Social Media Wireless Communications Voxx Accessories Corporation ............143 Ph: 317-218-7300 NewAccounts@audiovox.com www.voxxintl.com Connectivity Panels/Charging Stations TV Equipment VTech Hotel Phones ..........................1429 Ph: 702-290-1564 bmilano@vtechhotelphones.com www.vtechhotelphones.com Analog Phones Emergency Management IP Phones Voice Mail

WebRezPro Property Management System ..............................................1519 Ph: 403-777-9300 info@webrezpro.com www.webrezpro.com Booking Engines Cloud Computing Multi Property Management PMS Wifi-soft Solutions ............................1729 Ph: 512-782-9901 rishi@wifi-soft.com www.wifi-soft.com Advertising Specialties Managed Network Services Network Management Wi-Fi Windstream ........................................805 www.windstream.com Winncom Technologies .....................1644 Ph: 888-946-6266 sales@winncom.com www.winncom.com Broadband Integrated Antenna Systems Mobile Applications Wi-Fi Wireless Communications Wireless Watchdogs ..........................1545 Ph: 310-943-3415 john.gonzalez@wirelesswatchdogs.com www.wirelesswatchdogs.com Accounting/Finance Cell Phone Coverage IT Outsourcing/Consulting Outsourced IT services Wireless Communications World Cinema, Inc. ..............................627 Ph: 800-944-9441 www.worldcinemainc.com TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV TV Equipment

Worldpay ..........................................1257 dropusaline@worldpay.com www.worldpay.com Computer Reservation Systems(CRS)/ Distribution Credit Card & Payment Systems Global Distribution Systems (GDS) POS

COMPANY LISTING

Wanaport, Inc. ..................................1455 Ph: 877-501-9262 sales@wanaport.com www.wanaport.com HSIA/Installation Managed Network Services Network Management Wi-Fi Wireless Communications

Xirrus ................................................1357 Ph: 805-262-1600 info@xirrus.com www.xirrus.com Wi-Fi Wireless Communications Xpodigital .........................................1524 Ph: 888-580-2230 info@xpodigital.com www.xpodigital.com Audio Visual Equipment/Systems Digital Signage Kiosks/Self Serve Mobile Applications Network Management y!kes .................................................1158 Ph: 877-50-YIKES info@yikesteam.com www.yikes.co Door Locks Guest Management/CRM/Loyalty Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Kiosks/Self-Service Mobile Applications Wireless Communications Yellow Dog Software ..........................200 Ph: 757-818-9360 sales@yellowdogsoftware.com www.yellowdogsoftware.com Inventory Control Inventory/Purchasing ZDirect, Inc. .........................................735 Ph: 954-458-1669 info@zdirect.com www.zdirect.com/ Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Mobile Applications Pre/Post Stay E-Marketing Zhone Technologies Inc. ....................1029 www.zhone.com

HITEC 2014 75

Exhibitors | product Listing Accounting/Finance Aptech Computer Systems, Inc...............501 BirchStreet Systems...............................849 Broadvine............................................1649 CSI globalVCard paysystems..................311 Data Plus Hospitality Solutions............1206 Evention...............................................1211 Infor.......................................................701 Jonas Club Management and clubsystems group...........................1108 M3 Accounting & Analytics..................1622 NationalLink........................................1739 PAS........................................................418 ProfitSword............................................941 ReactorNet Technologies......................1743 Shift4 Corporation...............................1535 Wireless Watchdogs.............................1545 Advertising Specialties AllView Networks................................1730 Asian Media & Marketing Group...........126 Cendyn/ONE........................................1135 Flip.to.....................................................130 HeBS Digital...........................................442 Milestone Internet Marketing, Inc..........644 SkyWire Inc............................................144 Sovee.....................................................226 Wifi-soft Solutions...............................1729 Analog Phones AEI Communications Corp...................1335 Bittel Americas.....................................1445 Cetis, Inc..............................................1405 VTech Hotel Phones.............................1429 Audio Visual Equipment/Systems Electric Mirror......................................1144 Electro-Media Design, Ltd....................1045 Encore Event Technologies.....................206 Enseo, Inc.............................................1110 Flyte Systems.......................................1235 G-LINK.................................................1041 Harman International.............................248 Hear My Lips........................................1522 Kube Systems.........................................156 LEIGHTRONIX, INC.................................754 Lynx Broadband.....................................542 Social Tables.........................................1651 Tangerine Global....................................228 TeleAdapt Inc.......................................1309 Vecima Networks...................................138 Vision Technologies................................140 Xpodigital............................................1524 Automated Refreshment Centers Bartech Systems International.............1025 Dometic.................................................761 Mobile Simple......................................1751

HITEC 2014

Booking Engines Anand Systems......................................642 Book4Time Inc.....................................1303 Cenetic...................................................544 Chetu Inc..............................................1423 eZee Technosys, PVT Ltd.......................1753 Immersion Companies...........................349 InnLink / Trust International.................1326 innRoad...............................................1360 Meetings Maker.....................................440 PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc..........1219 Passkey, Now A Part of Lanyon.............1129 ResortSuite............................................507 RoomKey PMS.......................................145 Sceptre Hospitality Resources................549 SiteMinder.............................................443 TravelClick, Inc.....................................1009 Vertical Booking.....................................128 WebRezPro Property Management System.............................................1519 Broadband Acentic Inc...........................................1543 ATX Networks......................................1340 Broadband Hospitality.........................1301 Comcast Business................................1141 Edge Communications.........................1755 Elfiq Networks.......................................640 Multicom, Inc.......................................1618 Nomadix..............................................1327 Pico Digital............................................324 RCN Business Services...........................129 Safety NetAccess, Inc...........................1059 SONIFI Solutions, Inc..............................811 Telecom Brokerage, Inc........................1351 ValuePoint Networks...........................1315 Vecima Networks...................................138 Verizon.................................................1355 Winncom Technologies........................1644 Budgeting/Forecasting Aptech Computer Systems, Inc...............501 Attendance on Demand, Inc.................1349 Broadvine............................................1649 Datavision Technologies, Inc................1227 HeBS Digital...........................................442 Infor.......................................................701 Kronos.................................................1629 Moreton Bay Technology Pty. Ltd...........407 PAS........................................................418 ProfitSword............................................941 ReactorNet Technologies......................1743 The Eric Ryan Corp...............................1241 Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Aptech Computer Systems, Inc...............501 Broadvine............................................1649 Cendyn/ONE........................................1135 Chetu Inc..............................................1423 Clairvoyix.............................................1605 Data Plus Hospitality Solutions............1206

Datavision Technologies, Inc................1227 GuestDriven.........................................1750 Guestware.............................................519 iDashboards...........................................224 Indra......................................................643 Infor.......................................................701 LPA Systems.........................................1724 M3 Accounting & Analytics..................1622 Metropolis Technologies, Inc..................630 MICROS Systems, Inc.............................709 NAVIS..................................................1329 Neudesic................................................657 Newmarket International, Inc................901 Nor1 Inc...............................................1607 ProfitSword............................................941 ReactorNet Technologies......................1743 Systems Design & Development, Inc. (SDD)...............................................1013 TE Connectivity......................................435 TravelClick, Inc.....................................1009 ZDirect, Inc.............................................735 Call Accounting EarthBend Distribution...........................149 Homisco, Inc.........................................1358 Jive Communications...........................1560 Metropolis Technologies, Inc..................630 NAVIS..................................................1329 Nevotek.................................................112 PhoneSuite.............................................413 Systems Design & Development, Inc. (SDD)...............................................1013 TigerTMS Ltd..........................................935 Cash Management Evention...............................................1211 NationalLink........................................1739 Tidel Engineering L.P..............................325 Casino Management Card Scanning Solutions Inc.................1558 Celayix Software..................................1421 HeadsUp FD...........................................961 MICROS Systems, Inc.............................709 Neudesic................................................657 Cell Phone Coverage Roam Boost...........................................343 Vision Technologies................................140 Wireless Watchdogs.............................1545 Channel Management B4Checkin Ltd........................................536 eZee Technosys, PVT LTD......................1753 iTesso-Enterprise Lodging Systems.......1449 LEIGHTRONIX, INC.................................754 MCOM Media Communications...........1342 Nor1 Inc...............................................1607 SIHOT Hotel Management Software......255 SiteMinder.............................................443 SkyTouch Technology.............................201 Vertical Booking.....................................128

Cloud-based PBX Avaya.....................................................252 CCI Systems.........................................1412 Cendyn/One.........................................1135 Comcast Business................................1141 Connect Call Global, LLC........................757 Fingi Inc...............................................1601 Homisco, Inc.........................................1358 Jive Communications...........................1560 Mitel Corporation..................................355 NEC Corporation of America..................827 PhoneSuite.............................................413 Pinnacle Communications....................1114 RCN Business Services...........................129 Systems Design & Development, Inc. (SDD)...............................................1013 Telecom Brokerage, Inc........................1351 Unify GmbH Co. KG.............................1520

Computer Reservation Systems(CRS)/ Distribution B4Checkin Ltd........................................536 Cenium..................................................635 Guest Direct...........................................655 Hotelogix...............................................229 Indra......................................................643 InnLink / Trust International.................1326 innRoad...............................................1360 iTesso-Enterprise Lodging Systems.......1449 Meetings Maker.....................................440 MICROS Systems, Inc.............................709 NAVIS..................................................1329 PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc..........1219 Passkey, Now A Part of Lanyon.............1129 RoomKey PMS.......................................145 Sceptre Hospitality Resources................549 TravelClick, Inc.....................................1009 Vertical Booking.....................................128 Worldpay.............................................1257 Connectivity Panels/Charging Stations Bittel Americas.....................................1445 Brandstand Products..............................531 G-LINK.................................................1041 Harman International.............................248 Kube Systems.........................................156 Maclocks..............................................1359 Smart Hospitality.................................1715 TE Connectivity......................................435 TeleAdapt Inc.......................................1309 Voxx Accessories Corporation................143 Credit Card & Payment Systems Air2Data, HSIA.......................................959 Bank of America Merchant Services.....1428 CSI globalVCard paysystems..................311 Elavon....................................................611 Ground Labs........................................1541 Ingenico.................................................118 MagTek, Inc............................................420 Merchant Link........................................626 NationalLink........................................1739 nCLOSE-POSenclosures.com..................854 Planet Payment......................................525 Sertifi eSignatures................................1556 Shift4 Corporation...............................1535 SIX Payment Services.............................543 Squirrel Systems.....................................624 Tenerum...............................................1725 VeriFone, Inc.........................................1443 Worldpay.............................................1257 Data/Credit Card Security Aruba Networks...................................1404 Bank of America Merchant Services.....1428 Coalfire................................................1408 CSI globalVCard paysystems..................311 Edge Communications.........................1755

Ground Labs........................................1541 HeadsUp FD...........................................961 MagTek, Inc............................................420 Merchant Link........................................626 Planet Payment......................................525 SecurityMetrics......................................131 Sertifi eSignatures................................1556 Shift4 Corporation...............................1535 SIX Payment Services.............................543 Squirrel Systems.....................................624 Tenerum...............................................1725 Trustwave..............................................204 VeriFone, Inc.........................................1443

PRODUCT LISTING

Cloud Computing 360Leo.................................................1261 Acutek Solutions..................................1631 Adaco....................................................605 ADTRAN...............................................1731 AirWatch by VMware...........................1319 Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc........................1635 Anevia...................................................538 Attendance on Demand, Inc.................1349 Broadvine............................................1649 Celayix Software..................................1421 Cendyn/ONE........................................1135 Clairvoyix.............................................1605 Data Plus Hospitality Solutions............1206 Entertainment Solutions......................1343 EthoStream............................................858 Evolve Guest Controls............................429 eZee Technosys, PVT LTD......................1753 Flyte Systems.......................................1235 FOOD-TRAK.........................................1109 Guestware.............................................519 hospitalityPulse....................................1058 Immersion Companies...........................349 Indra......................................................643 Kronos.................................................1629 Mobile Simple......................................1751 MSI (Multi-Systems Inc.)......................1019 PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc..........1219 PAS........................................................418 PrinterOn.............................................1308 RoomKey PMS.......................................145 Samsung Electronics..............................949 SkyTouch Technology.............................201 Social Tables.........................................1651 Telecom Brokerage, Inc........................1351 Telkonet, Inc...........................................855 TrackIT LLC/ RHR Sytems, Inc................1031 Verian..................................................1735 WebRezPro Property Management System.............................................1519

Digital Signage 22MILES Wayfinding............................1643 Acentic Inc...........................................1543 Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc........................1635 at-visions...............................................535 ATX Networks......................................1340 Chetu Inc..............................................1423 Display Systems International, Inc........1518 Encore Event Technologies.....................206 Enseo, Inc.............................................1110 Entertainment Solutions......................1343 Flyte Systems.......................................1235 Four Winds Interactive.........................1509 Hear My Lips........................................1522 Hoteza.................................................1542 InfoValue Computing, Inc.....................1213 Intello Technologies Inc..........................527 JANUS Displays......................................727 LEIGHTRONIX, INC.................................754 MCOM Media Communications...........1342 Multicom, Inc.......................................1618 NEC Corporation of America..................827 PalVision (Singapore) Pte Ltd.................424 Runtriz.................................................1713 Samsung Electronics..............................949 Solutions................................................125 Transworld Services.............................1448 Uniguest..............................................1613 Verizon.................................................1355 Xpodigital............................................1524 Disaster Recovery Charter Business....................................449 Elfiq Networks.......................................640 One Safe Place Media Corp....................541 Schneider Electric.................................1523 Document Management AirWatch by VMware...........................1319 Guestware.............................................519 Jonas Club Management and clubsystems group...........................1108 M3 Accounting & Analytics..................1622 Samsung Electronics..............................949 Sertifi eSignatures................................1556 TTI Technologies...................................1313

HITEC 2014 77

PRODUCT LISTING

Door Locks Control4...............................................1334 INNCOM by Honeywell........................1201 KABA ILCO SAFLOK...............................513 Miwa Lock Co., Ltd...............................1140 Onity....................................................1113 OpenWays............................................1209 VingCard Elsafe.....................................401 y!kes....................................................1158

Global Distribution Systems (GDS) B4Checkin Ltd........................................536 InnLink / Trust International.................1326 Megasys Hospitality Solutions.............1625 Passkey, Now A Part of Lanyon.............1129 RoomKey PMS.......................................145 Sceptre Hospitality Resources................549 Vertical Booking.....................................128 Worldpay.............................................1257

Emergency Management Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc........................1635 Enseo, Inc.............................................1110 Metropolis Technologies, Inc..................630 One Safe Place Media Corp....................541 Status Solutions.....................................125 VTech Hotel Phones.............................1429

Golf/Ski Management Abacus 21............................................1723 Cenium..................................................635 ResortSuite............................................507 TAC/The Assistant Company..................319 TrackIT LLC/ RHR Sytems, Inc................1031

Energy Management/Conservation Axxess Industries Inc............................1419 Control4...............................................1334 Evolve Guest Controls............................429 Goodman Co., LP-Amana PTAC Sales....231 Infor.......................................................701 INNCOM by Honeywell........................1201 Intello Technologies Inc..........................527 INTEREL.................................................335 Lodging Technology.............................1660 Onity....................................................1113 Schneider Electric.................................1523 Systems Associates, Inc..........................134 Telkonet, Inc...........................................855 The Eric Ryan Corp. .............................1241 Verdant Environmental Technologies Inc..............................1249 VingCard Elsafe.....................................401 Engineering/Equipment Management Entertainment Solutions......................1343 FCS........................................................409 HotelEXPERT..........................................506 Systems Associates, Inc..........................134 Tangerine Global....................................228 Verdant Environmental Technologies Inc..............................1249 ERP/Accounting System Aptech Computer Systems, Inc...............501 Broadvine............................................1649 Cenium..................................................635 Data Plus Hospitality Solutions............1206 Indra......................................................643 Infor.......................................................701 External Bandwidth Comcast Business................................1141 Elfiq Networks.......................................640 The Eric Ryan Corp...............................1241

HITEC 2014

Guest Business Centers Archelon Enclosures.............................1656 Eleven..................................................1441 Encore Event Technologies.....................206 Flyte Systems.......................................1235 Logiclink, Inc........................................1619 Meetings Maker.....................................440 RoomNetTV.........................................1452 Samsung Electronics..............................949 TTI Technologies...................................1313 Uniguest..............................................1613 Guest Management /CRM/Loyalty Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc........................1635 Aruba Networks...................................1404 Book4Time Inc.....................................1303 Card Scanning Solutions Inc.................1558 Cendyn/ONE........................................1135 Cenium..................................................635 CheckMate.............................................122 Clairvoyix.............................................1605 Control4...............................................1334 Datavision Technologies, Inc................1227 Digital Alchemy......................................249 Digital ID..............................................1130 Four Winds Interactive.........................1509 GoConcierge........................................1312 Guest Direct...........................................655 GuestDriven.........................................1750 Guestware.............................................519 HandHeld Hospitality.............................225 Homisco, Inc.........................................1358 hospitalityPulse....................................1058 hotel SystemsPro.................................1151 HotelEXPERT..........................................506 IDScan.net.............................................148 Indra......................................................643 Infor.......................................................701 Intellicheck Mobilisa..............................153 IQWare Inc.............................................619 Knowcross.............................................305 MICROS Systems, Inc.............................709 Monscierge, Inc....................................1061

MSI (Multi-Systems Inc.)......................1019 my HotelApp..........................................150 NAVIS..................................................1329 Neudesic................................................657 Newmarket International, Inc................901 Nor1 Inc...............................................1607 PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc..........1219 Resort Data Processing........................1204 ResortSuite............................................507 Revinate...............................................1620 RoamingAround.....................................345 RoomKey PMS.......................................145 SIHOT Hotel Management Software......255 Squirrel Systems.....................................624 TAC/The Assistant Company..................319 Vertical Booking.....................................128 y!kes....................................................1158 ZDirect, Inc.............................................735 Guest Response/Guest Service/ Guest Satisfaction Aruba Networks...................................1404 AVPM...................................................1435 B4Checkin Ltd........................................536 Broadvine............................................1649 Cendyn/ONE........................................1135 CheckMate.............................................122 Cloud 9 Mobility..................................1658 Digital Alchemy......................................249 Edge Communications.........................1755 Evolve Guest Controls............................429 FCS........................................................409 Fingi Inc...............................................1601 Guest Direct...........................................655 Guestware.............................................519 HandHeld Hospitality.............................225 HeadsUp FD...........................................961 Homisco, Inc.........................................1358 hospitalityPulse....................................1058 hotel SystemsPro.................................1151 Hoteza.................................................1542 Intelity.................................................1529 IQWare Inc.............................................619 iRiS Software Systems Ltd......................741 Knowcross.............................................305 Monscierge, Inc....................................1061 my HotelApp..........................................150 Neudesic................................................657 Optii Solutions.....................................1555 Revinate...............................................1620 Roaming Around....................................345 Runtriz.................................................1713 Select-TV-Solutions..............................1458 Sovee.....................................................226 StayNTouch Inc......................................124 Systems Associates, Inc..........................134 TigerTMS Ltd..........................................935 Viggo SNTV..........................................1255 y!kes....................................................1158

Jonas Club Management and clubsystems group...........................1108 Kronos.................................................1629 M3 Accounting & Analytics..................1622 Optii Solutions.....................................1555 SkyWire Inc............................................144

HMS (Combined PMS & CRS) Anand Systems......................................642 Cenium..................................................635 Hotelogix...............................................229 IDScan.net.............................................148 Indra......................................................643 Infor.......................................................701 innRoad...............................................1360 Intellicheck Mobilisa..............................153 iTesso-Enterprise Lodging Systems.......1449 Megasys Hospitality Solutions.............1625 MICROS Systems, Inc.............................709 MSI (Multi-Systems Inc.)......................1019 PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc..........1219 SIHOT Hotel Management Software......255 SkyTouch Technology.............................201

HSIA/Installation Acentic Inc...........................................1543 Acutek Solutions..................................1631 ADTRAN...............................................1731 Air2Data, HSIA.......................................959 at-visions...............................................535 Broadband Hospitality.........................1301 Bulk TV & Internet..................................749 Comcast Business................................1141 Connect Call Global, LLC........................757 Danmagi..............................................1752 Datatrend Technologies, Inc...................856 Eleven..................................................1441 Elfiq Networks.......................................640 Encore Event Technologies.....................206 Engineered Lifestyles...........................1353 EthoStream............................................858 Falcon IP/Complete..............................1549 Guest Direct...........................................655 Hospitality Technical Services...............1248 Hotel Internet Services.........................1040 Hoteza.................................................1542 InfoValue Computing, Inc.....................1213 Intello Technologies Inc..........................527 KOR Systems..........................................439 Meru Networks......................................329 Nomadix..............................................1327 PalVision (Singapore) Pte Ltd.................424 RoomNetTV.........................................1452 Single Digits...........................................945 Smart Hospitality.................................1715 SONIFI Solutions, Inc..............................811 Sunray..................................................1426 Swisscom Hospitality Services..............1035 TigerTMS Ltd..........................................935 ValuePoint Networks...........................1315 Wanaport, Inc......................................1455

Housekeeping Automation Acenonyx...............................................127 AVPM...................................................1435 Axxess Industries Inc............................1419 Control4...............................................1334 DuVoice Corporation..............................328 FCS........................................................409 Guestware.............................................519 HotelEXPERT..........................................506 INNCOM by Honeywell........................1201 Knowcross.............................................305 Optii Solutions.....................................1555 StayNTouch Inc......................................124 Systems Associates, Inc..........................134 TigerTMS Ltd..........................................935 Housekeeping/Room Service Alerts Acenonyx...............................................127 Acutek Solutions..................................1631 Axxess Industries Inc............................1419 Galaxy Hotel Systems..........................1105 Guestware.............................................519 INNCOM by Honeywell........................1201 Intelity.................................................1529 Knowcross.............................................305 Newmarket International, Inc................901 Optii Solutions.....................................1555 Runtriz.................................................1713 Viggo SNTV..........................................1255 HR, Time and Labor Management Adaco....................................................605 Agilysys, Inc.........................................1119 Attendance on Demand, Inc.................1349 Cawley Digital ID.................................1130 Celayix Software..................................1421 Evention...............................................1211 Infor.......................................................701

Industry Publication HFTP......................................................455 LODGING Media....................................142 In-room Controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HVAC/Lights/etc Acutek Solutions1631 at-visions...............................................535 Axxess Industries Inc............................1419 Celadon, Inc.........................................1749 Cetis, Inc..............................................1405 Control4...............................................1334 Dometic.................................................761 Electric Mirror......................................1144 Engineered Lifestyles...........................1353 Evolve Guest Controls............................429 Fingi Inc...............................................1601

INNCOM by Honeywell........................1201 iRiS Software Systems Ltd......................741 Nevotek.................................................112 Schneider Electric.................................1523 Systems Associates, Inc..........................134 Telkonet, Inc...........................................855 Verdant Environmental Technologies Inc..............................1249 VingCard Elsafe.....................................401 Integrated Antenna Systems TE Connectivity......................................435 Winncom Technologies........................1644

PRODUCT LISTING

Guest Safes Dometic.................................................761 INNCOM by Honeywell........................1201 Onity....................................................1113 Transworld Services.............................1448 VingCard Elsafe.....................................401

Internal Infrastructure Aruba Networks...................................1404 Eng Infotech........................................1653 KOR Systems..........................................439 Meru Networks......................................329 Social Tables.........................................1651 Vision Technologies................................140 Internet Content 22MILES Wayfinding............................1643 AirWatch by VMware...........................1319 AllView Networks................................1730 Cendyn/ONE........................................1135 Eleven..................................................1441 HeBS Digital...........................................442 Interactive Sites.....................................259 Inventory Control Adaco....................................................605 BirchStreet Systems...............................849 ChefTec/Culinary Software Services.......326 DuVoice Corporation..............................328 FOOD-TRAK.........................................1109 hospitalityPulse....................................1058 InvoTech Systems, Inc.............................240 Moreton Bay Technology Pty. Ltd...........407 RedRock Software................................1603 Social Tables.........................................1651 Yellow Dog Software..............................200 Inventory/Purchasing Abacus 21............................................1723 Adaco....................................................605 Agilysys, Inc.........................................1119 BirchStreet Systems...............................849 Book4Time Inc.....................................1303 ChefTec/Culinary Software Services.......326 Data Plus Hospitality Solutions............1206 FOOD-TRAK.........................................1109 Moreton Bay Technology Pty. Ltd...........407 ReactorNet Technologies......................1743 RedRock Software................................1603 TrackIT LLC/ RHR Sytems, Inc................1031 Yellow Dog Software..............................200

HITEC 2014 79

PRODUCT LISTING

IP Phones AEI Communications Corp...................1335 Avaya.....................................................252 Bittel Americas.....................................1445 Cetis, Inc..............................................1405 Cisco Systems......................................1126 Cox Business..........................................419 EarthBend Distribution...........................149 Gossamer Networks...............................154 Jive Communications...........................1560 Mitel Corporation..................................355 NEC Corporation of America..................827 Phybridge.............................................1259 Venture Telecom LLC............................1252 VTech Hotel Phones.............................1429 IT Outsourcing/Consulting Air2Data, HSIA.......................................959 CallTek Center International, Inc..........1330 Cybage Software Inc..............................422 Encore Event Technologies.....................206 Eng Infotech........................................1653 Engineered Lifestyles...........................1353 One Safe Place Media Corp....................541 PAS........................................................418 Sunray..................................................1426 Systems Design & Development, Inc. (SDD)...............................................1013 Venza Group, Inc....................................330 Wireless Watchdogs.............................1545 Itinerary/Activities Management Booker...................................................114 Cardola Ltd..........................................1721 Cloud 9 Mobility..................................1658 Cvent...................................................1361 Flyte Systems.......................................1235 HandHeld Hospitality.............................225 PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc..........1219 ResortSuite............................................507 TAC/The Assistant Company..................319 Kiosks/Self Serve 22MILES Wayfinding............................1643 Acenonyx...............................................127 Archelon Enclosures.............................1656 Blueprint RF...........................................219 Card Scanning Solutions Inc.................1558 Chetu Inc..............................................1423 Eleven..................................................1441 Flyte Systems.......................................1235 Four Winds Interactive.........................1509 Intelity.................................................1529 Intellicheck Mobilisa..............................153 Logiclink, Inc........................................1619 Maclocks..............................................1359 MagTek, Inc............................................420 Monscierge, Inc....................................1061 my HotelApp..........................................150 NationalLink........................................1739

HITEC 2014

nCLOSE-POSenclosures.com..................854 OpenWays............................................1209 Sovee.....................................................226 Status Solutions.....................................125 StayNTouch Inc......................................124 TTI Technologies...................................1313 Uniguest..............................................1613 Xpodigital............................................1524 y!kes....................................................1158 Linen Control InvoTech Systems, Inc.............................240 Luggage Control AVPM...................................................1435 Managed Network Services 360Leo.................................................1261 Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc........................1635 CCI Systems.........................................1412 Charter Business....................................449 Datatrend Technologies, Inc...................856 Edge Communications.........................1755 EthoStream............................................858 Gossamer Networks...............................154 One Safe Place Media Corp....................541 Phybridge.............................................1259 RCN Business Services...........................129 RoomNetTV.........................................1452 Safety NetAccess, Inc...........................1059 Samsung Electronics..............................949 Single Digits...........................................945 Sunray..................................................1426 Swisscom Hospitality Services..............1035 Telecom Brokerage, Inc........................1351 Vecima Networks...................................138 Wanaport, Inc......................................1455 Wifi-soft Solutions...............................1729 Market Intelligence 360Leo.................................................1261 Broadvine............................................1649 Cendyn/ONE........................................1135 Clairvoyix.............................................1605 Flip.to.....................................................130 GuestDriven.........................................1750 Neudesic................................................657 Newmarket International, Inc................901 Nor1 Inc...............................................1607 Passkey, Now A Part of Lanyon.............1129 RoamingAround.....................................345 Menu/Recipe Creation/Analysis Abacus 21............................................1723 BirchStreet Systems...............................849 ChefTec/Culinary Software Services.......326 FOOD-TRAK.........................................1109 Moreton Bay Technology Pty. Ltd...........407 RedRock Software................................1603

Mobile Applications 22MILES Wayfinding............................1643 Acenonyx...............................................127 Adaco....................................................605 Agilysys, Inc.........................................1119 AirWatch by VMware...........................1319 Allin Interactive.....................................113 Archelon Enclosures.............................1656 Aruba Networks...................................1404 Attendance on Demand, Inc.................1349 at-visions...............................................535 Bittel Americas.....................................1445 Broadvine............................................1649 Card Scanning Solutions Inc.................1558 Cardola Ltd..........................................1721 Cenium..................................................635 CheckMate.............................................122 ChefTec/Culinary Software Services.......326 Cloud 9 Mobility..................................1658 CSI globalVCard paysystems..................311 Cvent...................................................1361 Digital Alchemy......................................249 Entertainment Solutions......................1343 eZee Technosys, PVT LTD......................1753 FCS........................................................409 Fingi Inc...............................................1601 Four Winds Interactive.........................1509 GuestDriven.........................................1750 HandHeld Hospitality.............................225 Hear My Lips........................................1522 Hoteza.................................................1542 InfoValue Computing, Inc.....................1213 Intelity.................................................1529 Interactive Sites.....................................259 iRiS Software Systems Ltd......................741 Jonas Club Management and clubsystems group...........................1108 Knowcross.............................................305 LOCATEL..............................................1254 Logiclink, Inc........................................1619 MagTek, Inc............................................420 MCOM Media Communications...........1342 Meetings Maker.....................................440 Meru Networks......................................329 MICROS Systems, Inc.............................709 Mobile Simple......................................1751 Monscierge, Inc....................................1061 MSI (Multi-Systems Inc.)......................1019 my HotelApp..........................................150 nCLOSE-POSenclosures.com..................854 NEC Corporation of America..................827 Nevotek.................................................112 OpenWays............................................1209 Optii Solutions.....................................1555 PalVision (Singapore) Pte Ltd.................424 Percipia................................................1400 PrinterOn.............................................1308 Resort Data Processing........................1204 ResortSuite............................................507 RoamingAround.....................................345

Multi Property Management Anand Systems......................................642 Aptech Computer Systems, Inc...............501 Aruba Networks...................................1404 Cenium..................................................635 DuVoice Corporation..............................328 Galaxy Hotel Systems..........................1105 Guestware.............................................519 Hotelogix...............................................229 IDScan.net.............................................148 Indra......................................................643 INNCOM by Honeywell........................1201 InnLink / Trust International.................1326 iTesso-Enterprise Lodging Systems.......1449 M3 Accounting & Analytics..................1622 Metropolis Technologies, Inc..................630 MICROS Systems, Inc.............................709 Newmarket International, Inc................901 PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc..........1219 ProfitSword............................................941 RoomKey PMS.......................................145 SIHOT Hotel Management Software......255 Systems Design & Development, Inc. (SDD)...............................................1013 Telkonet, Inc. .........................................855 WebRezPro Property Management System.............................................1519 Network Management 360Leo.................................................1261 Acentic Inc...........................................1543 Air2Data, HSIA.......................................959 Aruba Networks...................................1404 Avaya.....................................................252 Blueprint RF...........................................219 CallTek Center International, Inc..........1330 CCI Systems.........................................1412 Charter Business....................................449 Cisco Systems......................................1126 Danmagi..............................................1752 Deep Blue Communications...................323 Edge Communications.........................1755 Elfiq Networks.......................................640 Four Winds Interactive.........................1509 Hotel Internet Services.........................1040

INNCOM by Honeywell........................1201 Meru Networks......................................329 Metropolis Technologies, Inc..................630 Nomadix..............................................1327 PalVision (Singapore) Pte Ltd.................424 Pico Digital............................................324 Safety NetAccess, Inc...........................1059 Single Digits...........................................945 Swisscom Hospitality Services..............1035 TE Connectivity......................................435 The Eric Ryan Corp...............................1241 Untangle..............................................1450 Vision Technologies................................140 Wanaport, Inc......................................1455 Wifi-soft Solutions...............................1729 Xpodigital............................................1524 Network Security AirWatch by VMware...........................1319 Aruba Networks...................................1404 Avaya.....................................................252 EarthBend Distribution...........................149 Edge Communications.........................1755 Ground Labs........................................1541 Motorola Solutions................................756 Nomadix..............................................1327 SecurityMetrics......................................131 Tenerum...............................................1725 Trustwave..............................................204 Untangle..............................................1450 ValuePoint Networks...........................1315 Outsourced IT Services ADTRAN...............................................1731 CallTek Center International, Inc..........1330 Cybage Software Inc..............................422 Danmagi..............................................1752 Immersion Companies...........................349 One Safe Place Media Corp....................541 PAS........................................................418 Sunray..................................................1426 Telecom Brokerage, Inc........................1351 Verian..................................................1735 Wireless Watchdogs.............................1545 Package Control TrackIT LLC/ RHR Sytems, Inc................1031 Parking Technology/Access Control AVPM...................................................1435 PMS Agilysys, Inc.........................................1119 Anand Systems......................................642 Broadvine............................................1649 Cenium..................................................635 Chetu Inc..............................................1423 DuVoice Corporation..............................328 eZee Technosys, PVT LTD......................1753 Galaxy Hotel Systems..........................1105 Hotelogix...............................................229 IDScan.net.............................................148 Immersion Companies...........................349 Indra......................................................643

Infor.......................................................701 INNCOM by Honeywell........................1201 innRoad...............................................1360 Intellicheck Mobilisa..............................153 IQWare Inc.............................................619 iTesso-Enterprise Lodging Systems.......1449 LOCATEL..............................................1254 Megasys Hospitality Solutions.............1625 MICROS Systems, Inc.............................709 MSI (Multi-Systems Inc.)......................1019 NORTHWIND - Maestro Property Management System......................................719 PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc..........1219 Resort Data Processing........................1204 ResortSuite............................................507 RoomKey PMS.......................................145 Single Digits...........................................945 SkyTouch Technology.............................201 StayNTouch Inc......................................124 Tenerum...............................................1725 WebRezPro Property Management System.............................................1519

PRODUCT LISTING

Runtriz.................................................1713 Sertifi eSignatures................................1556 Shift4 Corporation...............................1535 SkyTouch Technology.............................201 Social Tables.........................................1651 SONIFI Solutions, Inc..............................811 Squirrel Systems.....................................624 StayNTouch Inc......................................124 TTI Technologies...................................1313 Venza Group, Inc....................................330 Verizon.................................................1355 Viggo SNTV..........................................1255 Voxer...................................................1410 Winncom Technologies........................1644 Xpodigital............................................1524 y!kes....................................................1158 ZDirect, Inc.............................................735

POS Abacus 21............................................1723 Agilysys, Inc.........................................1119 Anand Systems......................................642 Archelon Enclosures.............................1656 AVPM...................................................1435 Book4Time Inc.....................................1303 Cenium..................................................635 Elavon....................................................611 IDScan.net.............................................148 Indra......................................................643 Ingenico.................................................118 Intellicheck Mobilisa..............................153 Maclocks..............................................1359 MagTek, Inc............................................420 Megasys Hospitality Solutions.............1625 MICROS Systems, Inc.............................709 nCLOSE-POSenclosures.com..................854 PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc..........1219 Planet Payment......................................525 ResortSuite............................................507 SkyWire Inc............................................144 Squirrel Systems.....................................624 Tenerum...............................................1725 VeriFone, Inc.........................................1443 Worldpay.............................................1257 Pre/Post Stay E-Marketing B4Checkin Ltd........................................536 Cendyn/One.........................................1135 Cenetic...................................................544 Eng Infotech........................................1653 Guestware.............................................519 Interactive Sites.....................................259 NAVIS..................................................1329 Passkey, Now A Part of Lanyon.............1129 ResortSuite............................................507 ZDirect, Inc.............................................735

HITEC 2014 81

PRODUCT LISTING

Premise-based PBX Connect Call Global, LLC........................757 Cox Business..........................................419 Edge Communications.........................1755 Gossamer Networks...............................154 KOR Systems..........................................439 Mitel Corporation..................................355 NEC Corporation of America..................827 Percipia................................................1400 PhoneSuite.............................................413 Pinnacle Communications....................1114 Venture Telecom LLC............................1252 Procurement Systems BirchStreet Systems...............................849 FOOD-TRAK.........................................1109 Moreton Bay Technology Pty. Ltd...........407 ReactorNet Technologies......................1743 RedRock Software................................1603 TrackIT LLC/ RHR Sytems, Inc................1031 Verian..................................................1735 Radio/Paging/SMS Guestware.............................................519 Harman International.............................248 Motorola Solutions................................756 Voxer...................................................1410 Radios & Music Systems Bittel Americas.....................................1445 Bowers & Wilkins...................................534 Brandstand Products..............................531 Harman International.............................248 iLuv Creative Technology.....................1454 Kube Systems.........................................156 TeleAdapt Inc.......................................1309 Related Association HFTP......................................................455 HTNG...................................................1149 Remote Guest Printing Logiclink, Inc........................................1619 PrinterOn.............................................1308 Revenue/Yield Management Broadvine............................................1649 Datavision Technologies, Inc................1227 innRoad...............................................1360 hospitalityPulse....................................1058 hotel SystemsPro.................................1151 Hotelogix...............................................229 Infor.......................................................701 IQWare Inc.............................................619 Nor1 Inc...............................................1607 Rainmaker............................................1310 Resort Data Processing........................1204 RoomKey PMS.......................................145 SIHOT Hotel Management Software......255 TravelClick, Inc.....................................1009

HITEC 2014

Security Systems HeadsUp FD...........................................961 InvoTech Systems, Inc.............................240 KABA ILCO SAFLOK...............................513 Miwa Lock Co., Ltd...............................1140 NEC Corporation of America..................827 OpenWays............................................1209 Salto Systems Inc...................................835 Schneider Electric.................................1523 Status Solutions.....................................125 VingCard Elsafe.....................................401 Social Media Booker...................................................114 Cendyn/ONE........................................1135 CheckMate.............................................122 Cloud 9 Mobility..................................1658 Flip.to.....................................................130 Flyte Systems.......................................1235 GuestDriven.........................................1750 HeBS Digital...........................................442 Revinate...............................................1620 RoamingAround.....................................345 Unify GmbH Co. KG.............................1520 Verizon.................................................1355 Voxer...................................................1410 Spa Management Abacus 21............................................1723 Book4Time Inc.....................................1303 Booker...................................................114 CallTek Center International, Inc..........1330 Cenetic...................................................544 Cenium..................................................635 Cloud 9 Mobility..................................1658 Logiclink, Inc........................................1619 PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc..........1219 ResortSuite............................................507 Sceptre Hospitality Resources................549 TAC/The Assistant Company..................319 Table/Reservation/Waitlist Management Guest Direct...........................................655 MICROS Systems, Inc.............................709 SkyWire Inc............................................144 TAC/The Assistant Company..................319 Tangerine Global....................................228 Timeshare/Condo/Membership Management Card Scanning Solutions Inc.................1558 Cenetic...................................................544 Clairvoyix.............................................1605 IQWare Inc.............................................619 Resort Data Processing........................1204 ResortSuite............................................507 Training American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute..........................202 Eng Infotech........................................1653 Galaxy Hotel Systems..........................1105 HFTP......................................................455 Immersion Companies...........................349

Optii Solutions.....................................1555 Venza Group, Inc....................................330 TV Content/Interactive TV/IPTV 22MILES Wayfinding............................1643 360Leo.................................................1261 Acentic Inc...........................................1543 Acutek Solutions..................................1631 Allin Interactive.....................................113 AllView Networks................................1730 Anevia...................................................538 at-visions...............................................535 ATX Networks......................................1340 Broadband Hospitality.........................1301 Bulk TV & Internet..................................749 Celadon, Inc.........................................1749 Charter Business....................................449 Comcast Business................................1141 Cox Business..........................................419 DIRECTV.................................................841 DISH.......................................................241 Display Systems International, Inc........1518 Engineered Lifestyles...........................1353 Enseo, Inc.............................................1110 Entertainment Solutions......................1343 Falcon IP/Complete..............................1549 Fingi Inc...............................................1601 Flyte Systems.......................................1235 G-LINK.................................................1041 Hotel Internet Services.........................1040 Hotwire Communications....................1354 InfoValue Computing, Inc.....................1213 Intelity.................................................1529 LEIGHTRONIX, INC.................................754 LOCATEL..............................................1254 Lynx Broadband.....................................542 MCOM Media Communications...........1342 Multicom, Inc.......................................1618 Nevotek.................................................112 PalVision (Singapore) Pte Ltd.................424 Pico Digital............................................324 RCN Business Services...........................129 RoomNetTV.........................................1452 Runtriz.................................................1713 Select-TV-Solutions..............................1458 Smart Hospitality.................................1715 SONIFI Solutions, Inc..............................811 Sonu Satellite.......................................1128 Swisscom Hospitality Services..............1035 Tangerine Global....................................228 Transworld Services.............................1448 Vecima Networks...................................138 Viggo SNTV..........................................1255 World Cinema, Inc..................................627 TV Equipment Allin Interactive.....................................113 ATX Networks......................................1340 Broadband Hospitality.........................1301 Bulk TV & Internet..................................749 Celadon, Inc.........................................1749 DIRECTV.................................................841 DISH.......................................................241

Uniform Control InvoTech Systems, Inc.............................240 Video/Teleconferencing Avaya.....................................................252 Cisco Systems......................................1126 DISH.......................................................241 EarthBend Distribution...........................149 InfoValue Computing, Inc.....................1213 Unify GmbH Co. KG.............................1520 Voice Mail DuVoice Corporation..............................328 FCS........................................................409 Gossamer Networks...............................154 Homisco, Inc.........................................1358 Jive Communications...........................1560 Mitel Corporation..................................355 NEC Corporation of America..................827 Nevotek.................................................112 Percipia................................................1400 PhoneSuite.............................................413 TigerTMS Ltd..........................................935 VTech Hotel Phones.............................1429 VOIP ADTRAN...............................................1731 AEI Communications Corp...................1335 Bulk TV & Internet..................................749 CCI Systems.........................................1412 Cetis, Inc..............................................1405 Comcast Business................................1141 Cox Business..........................................419 Edge Communications.........................1755 Gossamer Networks...............................154 Jive Communications...........................1560 KOR Systems..........................................439 Motorola Solutions................................756 NEC Corporation of America..................827 Percipia................................................1400

PhoneSuite.............................................413 Phybridge.............................................1259 Pinnacle Communications....................1114 The Eric Ryan Corp. .............................1241 Twisted Pair Solutions............................341 Unify GmbH Co. KG.............................1520 Venture Telecom LLC............................1252 Website Development/Design AllView Networks................................1730 Cendyn/ONE........................................1135 Cenetic...................................................544 Cybage Software Inc..............................422 HandHeld Hospitality.............................225 HeBS Digital...........................................442 Indra......................................................643 InnLink / Trust International.................1326 Interactive Sites.....................................259 Jonas Club Management and clubsystems group...........................1108 Milestone Internet Marketing, Inc..........644 Percipia................................................1400 Sceptre Hospitality Resources................549 SkyWire Inc............................................144 Sovee.....................................................226 TravelClick, Inc.....................................1009 USA TODAY..........................................1414 Wi-Fi ADTRAN...............................................1731 Air2Data, HSIA.......................................959 AllView Networks................................1730 Aruba Networks...................................1404 Blueprint RF ..........................................219 Broadband Hospitality.........................1301 Bulk TV & Internet..................................749 CallTek Center International, Inc..........1330 CCI Systems.........................................1412 Cetis, Inc..............................................1405 Charter Business....................................449 Cisco Systems......................................1126 Connect Call Global, LLC........................757 Cox Business..........................................419 Danmagi..............................................1752 Datatrend Technologies, Inc...................856 Deep Blue Communications...................323 EarthBend Distribution...........................149 Edge Communications.........................1755 Eleven..................................................1441 EthoStream............................................858 Falcon IP/Complete..............................1549 Hear My Lips........................................1522 Hospitality Technical Services...............1248 Hospitality WiFi....................................1719 Hotel Internet Services.........................1040 Hotwire Communications....................1354 Intello Technologies Inc..........................527 KOR Systems..........................................439 LOCATEL..............................................1254 Meru Networks......................................329 Motorola Solutions................................756 Multicom, Inc.......................................1618

Nomadix..............................................1327 Pinnacle Communications....................1114 RCN Business Services...........................129 RoomNetTV.........................................1452 Ruckus Wireless...................................1155 Safety NetAccess, Inc...........................1059 Single Digits...........................................945 Smart Hospitality.................................1715 SONIFI Solutions, Inc..............................811 Sunray..................................................1426 Swisscom Hospitality Services..............1035 TeleAdapt Inc.......................................1309 Untangle..............................................1450 ValuePoint Networks...........................1315 Verizon.................................................1355 Viggo SNTV..........................................1255 Vision Technologies................................140 Wanaport, Inc......................................1455 Wifi-soft Solutions...............................1729 Winncom Technologies........................1644 Xirrus...................................................1357

PRODUCT LISTING

Electric Mirror......................................1144 Engineered Lifestyles...........................1353 Enseo, Inc.............................................1110 Falcon IP/Complete..............................1549 G-LINK.................................................1041 Harman International.............................248 Hear My Lips........................................1522 Hisense USA.........................................1559 LEIGHTRONIX, INC.................................754 LOCATEL..............................................1254 Lynx Broadband.....................................542 MCOM Media Communications...........1342 Multicom, Inc.......................................1618 Pico Digital............................................324 Pinnacle Communications....................1114 Smart Hospitality.................................1715 Sonu Satellite.......................................1128 Tangerine Global....................................228 TeleAdapt Inc.......................................1309 Transworld Services.............................1448 Voxx Accessories Corporation................143 World Cinema, Inc..................................627

Wireless Communications Allin Interactive.....................................113 Aruba Networks...................................1404 AT&T......................................................235 Axxess Industries Inc............................1419 Cisco Systems......................................1126 Connect Call Global, LLC........................757 Corning................................................1557 Datatrend Technologies, Inc...................856 Deep Blue Communications...................323 Edge Communications.........................1755 EthoStream............................................858 Evolve Guest Controls............................429 Falcon IP/Complete..............................1549 G-LINK.................................................1041 Hospitality WiFi....................................1719 Hotel Internet Services.........................1040 Hotwire Communications....................1354 INNCOM by Honeywell........................1201 Mitel Corporation..................................355 Motorola Solutions................................756 nCLOSE-POSenclosures.com..................854 NEC Corporation of America..................827 Roam Boost...........................................343 Safety NetAccess, Inc...........................1059 Status Solutions.....................................125 TE Connectivity......................................435 Telkonet, Inc...........................................855 Twisted Pair Solutions............................341 Unify GmbH Co. KG.............................1520 ValuePoint Networks...........................1315 Voxer...................................................1410 Wanaport, Inc......................................1455 Winncom Technologies........................1644 Wireless Watchdogs.............................1545 Xirrus...................................................1357 y!kes....................................................1158

HITEC 2014 83

HFTP Global Board of Directors Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) has produced HITEC since 1972. HFTP is the global professional association for financial and technology personnel working in hotels, clubs and other hospitality-related businesses. HFTP provides first class educational opportunities, research and publications to more than 4,500 members globally.

President Jerry Trieber, CPA, CHAE, CFE, CFF, CGMA Crescent Hotels & Resorts

Vice President Daniel N. Conti, Jr., CHAE, CAM Wyndham Grand Jupiter at Harbourside Place

Treasurer Ian Millar, CHTP Ecole Hoteliere De Lausanne

Secretary Arlene Ramirez, MBA, CHE, CHAE ADR Hospitality Consulting

Immediate Past President Raman P. Rama, CHA, CHTP, CHAE JHM Hotels

Cheryl D. Brennan, CHAE Bloomfield Hills Country Club

Neil Foster, CHTP Tech-Tonic Hospitality Services

Rosemarie Gilchrist, CHAE The Country Club

Allison Gillette, CHAE Peterson Sullivan

Laurie Jackson, CHAE, MBA Pelican Isle Yacht Club

Exchange Director, Ex Officio Joori Jeon, CPA, CAE American Hotel & Lodging Educational institute

David Johnson, CHTP Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club

Michael Levie CitizenM

Timothy Nauss, CHAE Wynn Resorts (Macau), S.A.

Mick Nissen, CHAE, CHTP Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club

Ex Officio Frank I. Wolfe, CAE Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals

Prakash Vinodrai Shukla Handson LLC

Lyle Worthington, CHTP Hospitality Consultant

HITEC 2014

Visit HFTP in Booth #455 or in the HFTP Membership Lounge, West Hall Lobby

Table of Contents Special Feature: The Women of Hospitality Technology A profile of the industry's notable and influential female IT executives 8

Introduction

Carol Beggs, CHTP

Flo Lugli

Vanessa Ogle

Kris Singleton

Christina Cornwell

Sherry Marek

Valyn Perini

Naomi Stark

Cindy Estis Green

Kirsten Mollé

Sophie Pommois

Menka Uttamchandani

Diane Estner

Allison Morris, CHTP

Connie Rheams

Yvette Vincent

Kristin Intress

Monika Nerger

Ursula Rhode

Jing Zhu

5 Filter Out the Buzz Noise, Focus on Strategic Goals

An introduction from the HITEC 2014 Advisory Council Chair By Kris Singleton

30 Pitching Your Project

Gain project buy-in with a well thought out and researched presentation By Mark G. Haley, CHTP, ISHC

32 Steps to System Selection

Careful evaluation of needs and available options leads to systems that serve optimally for the long-term By Cihan Cobanoglu, Ph.D., CHTP

35 Cloud Services Come to Wi-Fi Access

A shift in perspective takes HSIA from hardware to software, making options more flexible and reliable By Daniel Lister

38 Cloud PBXs Are Now Viable. Manage Differently.

Cloud PBX technology moves attention to SLAs, cloud middleware and normative total cost models By Ron Tarro

40 Delivering Connectivity to One of the Largest U.S. Convention Centers

How Cox Business outfitted the Las Vegas Convention Center with a robust, technology infrastructure By Monica Compton

43 Advanced HD Solution Brings Guest Room Entertainment Options

New solution offers digital quality and sound, as well as channel flexibility for individual hotel locations By Monica Compton

45 Unencrypted Data: A Security Plague

Availability of unprotected payment data can be reduced with card discovery tools and a concentrated effort By Gary Glover, CISSP, CISA, QSA, PA-QSA

49 Big Questions Around Big Data

How hotels can manage big data effectively, and ultimately use it to improve the customer experience By Lisa Apolinski

51 The Business Intelligence Boom

A much higher degree of technology integration is needed to ensure revenue management teams do not miss opportunities to manage demand optimally By Bonnie Buckhiester

54 Digital Content: A Hotel Marketer's Dream?

Digital outlets provide inexpensive, broad reach; but is it to the detriment of your overall marketing efforts? By Lori Fitzgerald

56 Four Google Trends that Reveal the Future of SEO

Google focuses on local, mobile and social in 2014 — you should, too By Andrew Garberson

58 The Internet of Things

New devices such as tech eyeware and fitness bands create a new avenue for reaching guests By Tamara Gaffney

© Copyright 2014 by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals; Austin, Texas. All rights reserved. No part of this HITEC Special Report shall be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical; including photocopying, recording or in any information or retrieval system, without written permission from Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals. HFTP® and HITEC® are registered service marks of Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

HFTP

ProLinks Webinars

ProLinks Webinars offer participants a chance to engage and connect virtually with innovative thought leaders on the most relevant topics to the hospitality industry. Enjoy presentations from the comfort of your own computer while interacting not only with the speaker, but other attendees from all over the globe.

Get Started Visit the Membership/ProLinks section of the HFTP web site at www.hftp.org to view the upcoming webinar schedule.

SPECIAL REPORT STAFF Frank Wolfe, CAE Executive Vice President/CEO Frank.Wolfe@hftp.org Eliza Selig Editor/Director of Communications Eliza.Selig@hftp.org Jennifer Lee Advertising Sales / Director of Marketing Jennifer.Lee@hftp.org Steven Stout Director of Meetings & Special Events Steven.Stout@hftp.org

HITEC 2014 ADVISORY COUNCIL Chair Kris Singleton The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Vice Chair Christina Cornwell Hilton Worldwide Ken Barnes White Lodging Cihan Cobanoglu, CHTP, Ph.D. University of South Florida Daniel Conti, Jr. CHAE, CAM Wyndham Grand Jupiter at Harbourside Place Mike Uwe Dickersbach, CHTP, MCP, NICE Thayer Lodging Mehmet Erdem, Ph.D., CHTP iHITA Cindy Estis Green Kalibri Labs Nelson Garrido, CHTP Interstate Hotels & Resorts

Archived Sessions ProLinks Webinars are recorded and available to members for viewing on demand. Archived topics include e-commerce, millennial learners, green IT, Wi-Fi and more.

Bruce Hoffmeister Marriott International Edward Hopcroft Starwood Hotels & Resorts Shane Izaks The Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels Ltd. David Johnson, CHTP Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club Robin Koetje, CHTP The Hotel Group, Inc. Anna McFarland, CFE, CHAE, CHTP, CPA Global Hospitality Consulting Sophie Pommois Global Hotel Alliance Terence Ronson Pertlink Limited Richard Siegel Hospitality Upgrade Jerry Trieber, CPA, CHAE, CFE, CFF, CGMA Crescent Hotels & Resorts Richard Tudgay Omni Hotels & Resorts Frank Wolfe, CAE Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals 11709 Boulder Lane, Suite 110 • Austin, TX 78726–1832 +1 (512) 249-5333 • (800) 646-4387 • Fax +1 (512) 249-1533 www.hftp.org • www.hitec.org

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Filter Out the Buzz Noise, Focus on Strategic Goals The HITEC Special Report highlights the direction industry trends are moving toward On a daily basis we are inundated with news of the latest technology upgrades and flashy new media gadget, both in our professional and personal lives. As IT professionals it is our responsibility to filter through the buzz noise — just like the streams of data we collect — and know what makes the most sense for our businesses. It is important that we understand what will help support our companies’ strategic goals, boost guest services and keep our operations running efficiently.

Kris Singleton HITEC 2014 Advisory Council Chair

And that's where HITEC comes in. Every fall the HITEC Advisory Council gathers to set the HITEC program for the following June with the goal to build a framework that offers a candid look at hospitality technology. To set the agenda, our group, with diverse experiences, has a thorough discussion on what issues are important to our industry. This includes for the education program, as well as in this Report. While the topics might be familiar, the difference is that there is always progress, the details of which you will read in the pages that follow. We hope you will find this useful and thought-provoking; helping you get a picture of where hospitality technology is headed. Included in this publication is a very special feature highlighting influential and notable female IT executives working in the hospitality technology field. This section highlights technologists who have made significant contributions to our industry, and I am proud to count myself among them. I’d like to thank the authors who have volunteered to share their knowledge within these pages, as well as the members of the Advisory Council for their assistance with this project. While HITEC has planted itself as an established event in its four decades, what is delivered every year still remains fresh due to the ever-evolving technology discussion, bringing us back year after year.

Kris Singleton is chief information officer for The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Carol Beggs, CHTP

Flo Lugli

Christina Cornwell

Sherry Marek

Cindy Estis Green

Kirsten MollĂŠ

Diane Estner

Allison Morris, CHTP

Kristin Intress

Monika Nerger

o celebrate Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals' (HFTP) strategic goal of elevating our members' professional stature, we decided to publish a special feature on some of the most influential women in hospitality technology from around the globe. The list was generated by polling the industry, press and the HITEC 2014 Advisory Council. This list might not be complete, but it is certainly an excellent representation of the industry’s best and brightest. In our interviews with these women, there was an overall consensus that while females were few and far between in their immediate workplace, gender did not act as a prominent deterrence to their professional growth. They came to IT because of their passion and interest in the confluence of hospitality and technology, and concentrated on working with their teams to integrate the practice. "I honestly didn’t really see myself as 'female' in the business, but rather someone who was very qualified to do what I was doing," wrote Christina Cornwell. "I always approached each issue that needed to be handled in a way that was really about asking myself: What is the best business solution? Not what would a women do in this situation to get things done?" What follows is a cross section of the women — working on-property, as vendors and consultants, with a variety of specialties — who are guiding the path of hospitality technology.

Vanessa Ogle

Valyn Perini

Sophie Pommois

Connie Rheams

Ursula Rhode

Kris Singleton

Naomi Stark

Menka Uttamchandani

Yvette Vincent

Jing Zhu

The Women of Hospitality Technology

Carol Beggs, CHTP Director of Technology Chatham Bars Inn  Chatham, Mass.

t age 17, Carol Beggs took her first hospitality job as a waitress at the Sheraton. “It was so different and so much more fun than the after school office jobs I had had, that I knew I would never go back to a pure corporate employment.” She went on to study at Colgate University, but unfortunately a recession coincided with her graduation, making jobs scarce for new graduates. So she took a “temporary” technology job with Sonesta International Hotels Corp. This was definitely not in her life plan since she scored her lowest college grade in Computer Science 101. Fortunately she found a “tremendous” mentor at Sonesta: Jules Sieburgh, CHTP. Sieburgh “most memorably taught me to have my facts straight and to ask questions or present challenges in an organized, succinct way.” In the early days of Beggs’ career, her challenge came in educating all levels of ownership and management on the value of technology in hospitality, constantly competing for budget dollars against more visible and more tradi-

" Installing a property management system is probably the ultimate hospitality technology exercise in leadership and teamwork. I can't think of any other system that effects every single division/department/employee of a hotel the way the PMS does. It requires bringing together an entire hotel team and motivating them to do something that will disrupt their schedules, require long hours, make their jobs more difficult in the short term and change long ingrained ways of doing things. To do this successfully is truly an art." tional hospitality capital items. “I was fortunate to work for Stephanie Sonnabend, who saw the value of IT very early and very clearly, and was always an advocate for our team.” For the next 20 plus years, Beggs continued at Sonesta, with increasing IT responsibilities for the company, including longest as its vice president of technology. In August 2013 she took the opportunity to move to the independent luxury property Chatham Bars Inn, a winner of the Forbes Four-Star Award, a big change from her years in the small chain environment. Regardless of the property style, Beggs knows the value to building the right team. “It is critical to choose the right vendor partners the first time around, as the capital investments made with these choices — both financial and human — mean that you will likely be in that relationship for multiple years.” She also emphasizes the 10

HITEC 2014 Special Report

importance of industry involvement, especially for smaller organizations. Such involvement provides a bigger voice and broader knowledge of solutions and options beyond what an organization may have come in contact with directly. Considering the challenges she continues to face, one thing has remained the same: the need for budget dollars. But also at the top of that list is data security and all its elements, and Beggs is now looking to technologies that help to lessen the broad storage of that data. “It makes no sense to me that this data is stored at tens of thousands of endpoints across all business that accepts cards, so that we have to try to harden all these myriad locations with widely varying levels of technology sophistication.” She would also like to see the world of HDTV become much simpler and less expensive. She explains that the vast majority of hotels simply cannot afford to replace TVs in every room, every few years. The more that the innovation and change is driven to a centralized point, rather than in every guest room, the better. Describing the role of an IT department, she says, “It is also always a balancing act between doing the things that will keep the systems running, and doing things that will have a more visible impact for either employees or guests.”  Written by Lou Cook

Christina Cornwell Senior Director Technology Asia Pacific Hilton Worldwide  Singapore

orking at the Mandarin Oriental, Manila in the early '90s was a career-changer for Christina Cornwell. She originally enrolled in hospitality management at the University of the Philippines because her mother felt the hospitality industry would be a good fit for her. “I fell in love with the diversity of what the industry could offer. Each day brings something new. And it is all about the people: traveling to new places and interacting with different cultures is especially fulfilling for me.” But at that job at the Mandarin Oriental, Cornwell helmed a special project to upgrade the point-of-sale system, and it was then that she learned that she liked working with computers. “I enjoyed setting up the system with the hotel operations in mind, and how it could support the leadership team to better manage the business,” she remembers. From that early entry into the technology field, she was challenged by the need to translate the "tech-speak" into something users in the field could understand. At the same time, she also worked to demonstrate how the process or

" There is probably no function or industry that deals with change as often as IT. So you must lead people to understand that change is an opportunity to improve yourself and your function. I believe that it is important to be an early adopter when it comes to technology. Being behind the curve on technological innovations can potentially put the success of your overall organization at risk." procedural changes that could be difficult at the implementation phase would be beneficial in the end. “My challenge was to explain it in a way that lowered their anxiety and allowed them to use the systems effectively.” Cornwell’s calm approach, has helped her adapt as technology has evolved, as well as deal with those inevitable day-to-day hiccups. For example, during one conversion project, her team was days away from going live, when she received an early-morning call that said that the training couldn’t continue. All the servers were offline and had been moved out of the team’s meeting room. While the initial report said the servers were stored in the kitchen, which gave her pause, Cornwell remained calm. In the end, the servers were found in the hallway, unplugged as the meeting room was being prepared for an event. “This experience, as with many others, taught me that you should expect the unexpected and plan for the worst,” she remembers.

Current challenges she faces include prioritizing IT projects and allocating and managing the costs of IT (from developing and retaining IT team members to ensuring compliance). To address this, she's found that establishing a governance process to review all aspects of a project and encouraging a focus on business engagement has helped. She’s particularly interested in anything relating to digital and mobile technology, and what it means when social media makes a hotel guest knowledgeable about the hotel's amenities and services before arrival. “We always have to look for ways to ‘know’ what they want when they need it, while at the same time protect their privacy,” she says. A collaborative leader who learned from a number of mentors, including a general manager with whom she worked with in Singapore, Cornwell has a guiding principle she uses as a manager: “I catch people doing their best and let them know about it.” But more than that, she says, she focuses on hiring the right staff to execute a well-designed plan. “You must consistently lead in a way that keep team leaders and the people who report to them comfortable with change,” she adds. After all, “there is no function or industry that deals with change as often as IT.”  Written by Margaret Littman HITEC 2014 Special Report

The Women of Hospitality Technology

Cindy Estis Green Co-founder and CEO Kalibri Labs  Potomac, Md.

indy Estis Green, may not have known it at the time, but enrolling as an undergrad at Cornell University would inadvertently change her career trajectory. You see, Estis Green didn’t go to Cornell with the intention to work in the hospitality industry post-graduation, she went to Cornell to study human development. That soon changed. “Having grown up in a children’s summer camp 24/7 operation (‘a hotel for kids,’ she calls it), I realized I knew more about the hotel business than I thought and it sounded fun and exciting. So I transferred into the hotel administration program and haven’t looked back.” An expert in distribution issues, Estis Green's Kalibri Labs, launched in 2012, is helping the hotel industry figure out how to evaluate revenue performance net of customer acquisition costs. By developing an important new set of revenue efficiency metrics and a cutting-edge technology platform, Estis Green enables hotels to target the vexing problem of fast rising costs and expose the insights to dramatically improve profit.

" I have a recurring pattern of creating new technology and introducing it when most users don’t understand its application. In each case, I gathered a team of smart and motivated managers to participate in developing these tools and harness their enthusiasm to spread the word. My visions, no matter how innovative and compelling, would never come to life without the power of the team to carry it into the marketplace and help the hotels learn to use it." Her first taste of working in the technology field of hospitality came with what was then Hilton International. She was tossed into the fire right away, she recalls. “First day on the job I was expected to build marketing information systems,” she says. Only problem was she had no inkling of what that really was or how to do it. “Other than one programming class in college and learning to use SPSS in grad school, I had no technology experience,” she says. But she figured it out, working closely with the head of IT. “We became pioneers together in building out revenue management, sales automation and marketing databases; it was a time when few were venturing into sales and marketing technology,” she says. That head of IT, not hard to believe, became Estis Green’s co-founder and now partner at Kalibri Labs. Estis Green found herself in the middle of hotel technology when, well, there wasn’t too much hotel technology around — not like there is today. “I re 12

HITEC 2014 Special Report

call the comptroller of Hilton International telling me that automating sales would only be a waste of time for the sales teams and keep them off the road from meeting customers,” she says. In earlier times, the biggest challenge before her was power — lack of it, to be precise. “The early systems were underpowered for our aspirations and could not handle the data volumes we wanted to process,” she says. “We would wait hours or sometimes overnight for large batches to process before we could get answers to marketing questions from our data.” Much has changed since then. Today, big data is a big interest, particularly for Estis Green. “How will that be harnessed by the travel industry?” she asks. “We have been operating for many years with very limited intelligence driving many business decisions and this may allow the industry to make great strides very quickly in customer service, marketing and operational efficiencies.” Even with her peerless acumen, Estis Green still often faced challenges as a woman in a male-dominated industry, but it never really bothered her. What does concern her is the overall lack of women working in hospitality technology, something she tries to address. “I try and mentor other women whenever possible,” she says. Written by David Eisen

Diane Estner CEO Danni Enterprises  Delray Beach, Fla.

he hospitality industry is an archetype of a work-your-way up business. There are countless tales of C-level executives who started as busboys or other general factotums. Then there are others who made their mark in other industries before making the jump into hospitality. That describes Diane Estner, who has just recently moved from her position as vice president of global account sales at Systems Design and Development (SDD). At SDD she managed global strategic business relationships with hotel brands, hotel management companies and technology solution integrators. Telecommunications is where Estner made her initial foray into technology, cutting her teeth at such companies as Motorola and ConQuest Operator Services. “It was a great time, too,” she says, referring to the era when Six Sigma and TQM were established. She discovered hospitality in the early '90s, finding it to be a dynamic, challenging and diverse industry. “I enjoy the adventures of travel, working with interesting people and creatively solving problems,” she says.

" My priority and early challenge was learning how to establish and assert myself as a credible peer within the technology environment. I wanted to be recognized and valued for my ideas and contributions to making things happen. Now, for me it’s more about trying to do everything possible to keep up with the ever changing technology landscape, and staying tapped in to the 'who, what, when and where’s.'" And adventures she has had. On one occasion, her first work trip to Bangkok, to be specific, she was flying in a jumbo jet from Hong Kong with about 25 people total on board. “Something wasn’t right,” she says. She came to learn that the prime minister had just been overthrown. On another occasion she lost her luggage twice during the same business trip, traveling to multiple countries. “I’ve learned to expect the unexpected, be prepared for anything and appreciate the adventure of world travel,” she bravely says. Shifting from one facet of technology to another did have its challenges for Estner. She particularly had to adjust to understanding the back-end processes of how a hotel runs. “While I had all the product knowledge, I needed to deep dive into learning how a hotel operated,” she says. “It was a

great experience as I worked closely with many casino hotel groups, and I spent a fair amount of time learning the life and trials of hotel IT and communications.” Beyond the technical aspects, she also had to prove her worth to those around her — those who had been working in hospitality for years. I’m a business person,” she says. “I’ve never been too heavy on the geeky side,” she jokingly says, though maybe half-jokingly: she was once a rock ‘n’ roll singer. Like many in the technology side of the hospitality business, Estner is charting the movements and tastes of the new generation of technology users, namely the millennial generation, who she believes will drive the way hotels manage their overall technology deployment and systems. “Our industry technology is at a tipping point,” she says. “It’s very exciting to see and be a part of the change. I see millennials driving our hotel technology standards and creating new accelerated levels of technology innovation and adoption. When you combine this with the significance and growing dependency on social media, BYOD supportability, content delivery, brand loyalty, cost efficiency, and that ever-important unique hotel guest experience, it’s both exciting and encourages vendor collaboration.”  Written by David Eisen HITEC 2014 Special Report

The Women of Hospitality Technology

Kristin Intress Managing Director/CEO Worldhotels  Frankfurt, Germany

n a world where technology continues to play an ubiquitous role, pervading over all aspects of daily life, Kristin Intress, has not forgotten what technology is truly there for: as an aid, not an authority. “One of today’s main challenges is to prevent technology from taking over our logical thinking,” says the former CEO of CRS provider InnLink. “In our fast-moving and technology-driven times, we often get overly dependent on technology and forget that it is designed to help us, and not control us.” Not unlike many who have made their careers in the hospitality industry, Intress’ indoctrination began at a young age, 15, while supporting the opening of a new hotel. “Each team, from room service, to kitchen and front desk, was working as one to get the hotel ready for the opening,” she says. “What I like most about the industry? Its essence of people caring about other people’s needs and wishes, and doing their utmost to fulfill them.” Intress’ introduction to technology, however, did not come via the hospitality industry, but rather the medical field. At first, admittedly, she was a tech

" Overcoming other people's negativity and holding on to my vision was one of the biggest challenges I faced, but it also taught me one thing: To take the first step, it is sometimes better not to know how difficult a journey will be and trust your instincts. Of course, ultimately success is only measured by those who cross the finish line."

novice, but she was intrigued by the possibilities technology could provide. “Technology has the power to unlock our potential, helping us to reach our targets in a faster and more efficient way,” she says. She was a fast learner, ultimately buying InnLink, though discovering right away that she may have bought a flatlining company, where the technology, Intress says, was “duct-taped together.” So instead of fixing it, she decided to develop a whole new advanced CRS platform. Doing so was one of her biggest challenges, but she persevered even when others told her she’d fail. “To take the first step,” she says, “it is sometimes better not to know how difficult a journey will be and trust your instincts.” Of course, other issues tested her resolve, but also helped to galvanize the company. Consider the time when InnLink was switching CRS systems and 14

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came upon an unexpected glitch — at midnight! What to do? “Solving the problem required calling in the entire team, and they all came, in their pajamas and with their kids and partners,” Intress recalls. “Together, we managed to get the system running, and I learned once again that technology is worth nothing without the people behind it.” People, not hardware or software, are the key to a successful company. That’s something Intress makes plainly clear. In fact, it’s part of her hiring process. While IT can be a highly specific niche needing a high-level of experience and proficiency, Intress doesn’t just hire people who necessarily have the requisite skills. She’s taken a more maverick tack. “I have blended the hiring process, hiring people from the outside with little to no hospitality IT experience to bring in new ideas. It requires dedication and commitment to training, but helps a company overcome organizational blindness and generate new ideas.” One thing most of Intress’ peers don’t know is that she is a decorated athlete — having played rugby in the Scottish national women’s league. Many of the lessons she learned in sports, she uses in business. “Working as a team on a common objective: this is the approach I’ve cultivated at each of the companies I’ve worked,” she says.  Written by David Eisen

Flo Lugli Principal Navesink Advisory Group, LLC Holmdel, N.J.

t was the mid '90s and Flo Lugli was president of the Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA). Erik Blachford, then a young exec from Microsoft, approached Lugli, asking to discuss a new initiative with the HEDNA board, hoping to get input. At the next board meeting he described how Microsoft planned to sell hotel rooms on the Internet, how the concept would work with content, rates and inventory. Without exception, Lugli remembers, every member of the board indicated that this was unlikely to work. “Fortunately for Expedia,” she quips, “Microsoft didn’t listen to us.” Not only is that a funny tale Lugli likes to tell, she says it was a big lesson that bears repeating. “When I come across people who don’t believe that certain change might happen, or can’t imagine how their current business model might be impacted by new technology or emerging business models, I tell this story.” Lugli retired as Wyndham Hotel Group executive vice president of marketing last year, having worked over the course of a storied career at Travelport,

" Today, the biggest challenges are simply keeping up with the pace of change, and the plethora of distribution and e-commerce channels that are out there. There are many new entrants and third party solutions that have entered the field to help hotels manage this complex environment. But creating a sound distribution strategy with specific priorities is critical to success today."

Cendant, Galileo and Wizcom. She started her career almost 30 years ago at People Express Airlines, which was acquired by Continental in 1987. From there she moved on to Howard Johnson, the launching pad to her hospitality career. “It was early days for the hotel industry within the GDS, and since there wasn’t anyone else to do it, I became responsible for managing our relationships and working with our IT team to ensure we had our content and rates available for distribution. As the GDS continued to improve their hotel systems, I was fortunate to be able to participate in initiatives like the Sabre Hotel Advisory Committee and the Apollo RoomMaster product, as well as other forums to discuss ways to improve distribution,” she says.

While Lugli believes the hotel industry still lags behind the airline and car rental industries in technology to some extent, she sees her peers being challenged to keep up with the pace of change. “While we used to complain about having to manage content and rates/inventory across five GDS, we never imagined what is required today to keep the product on the shelves.” To have a team that can adapt to those changing demands, Lugli believes IT managers should hire carefully, looking for folks from a cross-section of disciplines who are able to accept risk and failure. But just as important, she says, is to continue to invest in employees after hiring them. “Constant personal and professional development with ongoing training and education is critical.” What’s critical to Lugli, now that she has re-wired her career with her own consulting firm, is a better effort to enjoy the fun things in life, such as golf, travel, spending more time with friends and family, and drinking good wine, since she admits she never really mastered that elusive work/life balance in the past. “I took ballroom dancing lessons for a few years with my husband, but I’d have to say we could likely be classified as remedial students. But we had a great time.”  Written by Margaret Littman HITEC 2014 Special Report

The Women of Hospitality Technology

Sherry Marek Vice President/Owner Datavision Technologies  Pembroke Pines, Fla.

herry Marek graduated from the University of Iowa. In 1985, she came to Washington, D.C. for grad school and took a job in the hotel industry where the flexible hours allowed her to combine work and studies. Initially she was hired as a front office clerk at Hilton International. After a year, the property asked her to work the night audit process, which required manually running computer procedures and talking to vendors about their computer applications, or working with IT in the corporate office. She accepted the job. It was a lucky move. “We were the test site for some new programs from Hilton International corporate, and this was great exposure, learning from the corporate team as we customized programs for our PMS. I was encouraged to help the company understand their guest segments and booking channels, and to create custom reports for my fellow managers and my general manager." Working so closely with the developing programs only increased her interest in understanding the system’s background. She built her technical knowhow, as she had great support from corporate and a sister property, where

" At InterContinental Hotels, I led the technical development of an inhouse CRM in the late '90s. We created business rules to extract key data, build a corporate database and import the data from each property around the world. The challenge was to convince our properties to use standard codes and getting the properties to understand the value of this consolidated data to the company as a whole. It took time, but was very useful and provided great insight on our customers." James Araki, IT manager, became her ‘goto’ person for her queries. The EAM at the property, Cindy Estis Green, encouraged her to build analytical views of the data, using an early version of Harvard Graphics to produce 2D and 3D graphical presentations of financial and marketing data. Marek grew as a manager at Hilton under the mentorship of Wibecke Vinke, and in 1991 she moved to InterContinental Hotels as director of front of house systems. In both companies she used outside vendors for primary systems and custom development to enhance them. Working with different vendors enabled her to create a mental check lists of desirable and not so desirable vendor qualities, “That would serve me well down the road as a vendor.” She learned that flexibility is a good thing when it comes to systems. “It is never a good idea to force customers to change their operations to fit the ven 16

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dors’ needs." Also a no-no is not listening to how a hotel company wants to run their business, and instead dictating that the company needs a certain piece of functionality. On the positive side, “I saw the success of ‘customer-centric’ vendors: always thinking like a customer, understanding their operational needs and how they vary from one to another.” In 1996, Marek and a partner, Sudharshan Chary, started Datavision Technologies. “Our vision was to create a business intelligence system for the hotel industry — a system that could bring together data from other systems (PMS, POS, payroll, spa/golf, etc.), and present it in such a way that users could easily build reports and queries based on their business needs. In other words, self-service business intelligence." To keep team members knowledgeable on the business issues their customers face, one of Marek’s best practices is to encourage her staff to attend industry-focused continuing education, either via webinars or conferences. And now with close to 20 years as a vendor, Marek has her own Top 10 David Letterman-style list of reasons why becoming a vendor was the right career choice for her. Number one on that list is: “Customers write checks. Vendors cash’ em. Nuf said.”  Written by Lou Cook

Kirsten Mollé Director ProTempIT Ltd.  Walgrave, Northamptonshire U.K.

ad Kirsten Mollé only been a tad taller, she may today not be prescribing IT solutions for the hospitality industry, but flying the friendly skies. No, travel was her first love, but sadly at the time, her short stature held her back. “At 5' 3", I did not qualify for the minimum height requirements for airline hostesses,” she says. A loss for the airlines; a gain for hotels. Mollé is now the managing director for ProTempIT, which specializes in applying technology into the hospitality business, from strategy and defining standards, to system evaluation and project management. It’s a position she attained via a journey not unlike many other success stories in the hospitality industry. The German-born Mollé sidestepped university, instead accepting an apprenticeship at the InterContinental Hotel Hamburg, a position that immersed her in all facets of the hotel industry. “After I passed my exams, they offered me a position in front office that set me on my path in the industry,” she says. And what a path it has been. Her induction into technology was not so unlike the rather bizarre circumstances that prevented her from becoming an airline

" IT is often taken for granted and considered a techie/maintenance type domain, so I had to develop strategies to get my colleagues and managers to understand what considerable role IT can and should play in the business: as part of the product(s) we sell, in generating revenue, or in supporting business decisions with comprehensive and focused data analysis."

hostess. “I stood in the wrong door at the right time,” she says. Specifically, while working as duty manager at the then InterContinental Portman Hotel London, she was seconded to a sister hotel for a PMS replacement project. “When I got back to my hotel, I found that our IT manager had resigned and I had been promoted in absentia due to the PMS knowledge I had gained,” she says. Her career in technology began there and as IT manager at the Forum Hotel London, after which she joined IHG’s corporate office to set up the telecoms department, defining and implementing a coherent telecommunication strategy for their hotels in EMEA. Project work in this area offered the opportunity to travel, and often offering an element of the unexpected — from disappearing telephone lines in Kinshasa to being stopped at gunpoint at Beirut airport. Mollé continued her career with IHG as director of applied technology, EMEA, managing the IT project teams and working with the region's hotels to ensure

business process alignment with the newly implemented technologies. In 2005, Mollé left IHG for ProTempIT, where her percipient vision drives her consultancy work for a range of international hotel clients. Asked about the key issues facing the industry she says: “The next couple of years will be less about the next big technology, and more about creating the enablers in our industry to maximize the value we can derive from the systems available.” Her push up the corporate ranks, however, did not come without difficulty — due in large part, she says, because of gender. “Top of the list is probably the challenge of being taken seriously and making myself heard amongst the high-flying male executives on the management teams I have been part of over the years,” she says. “From conversations I’ve had with other woman making their way up in the industry, the challenges are the same — we all just get better at managing them,” she says. Mollé still has a passion for the industry and the role technology can play in the business. And while she never did become an airline hostess, she was able to find a career doing what she loves: travel. “The travel bug that got me started in the hotel industry is still with me,” she says. “And it continues to take me to amazing places.”  Written by David Eisen HITEC 2014 Special Report

The Women of Hospitality Technology

Allison Morris, CHTP Corporate Director of IT American Casino & Entertainment Properties, LLC  Las Vegas

llison Morris’ goal after high school graduation was to earn a business degree. Searching for the academic version of horse racing’s trifecta, she decided “Studying business with a focus on hospitality and people seemed like an interesting approach.” Thus her analysis led towards Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. Her required freshman courses included an introduction to basic computers. She did well and enjoyed the class which led to more elective computer classes and increasing responsibility as a teaching assistant. “It was a great way to use my hospitality and human resources skills (her other major) as well.” She was hooked. Upon graduation from Cornell, she accepted a position as the marketing manager for the Pioneer Hotel & Casino, Sahara Resorts. Computers were becoming more widespread and in particular, slot machines were becoming more automated. They didn’t have IT positions, but technology was involved in many aspects of marketing, including managing the marketing database, creating offers, etc. "There were few people that understood computers or were

" After years of working on complex projects, both on the user and vendor side, flexibility and adaptability are two of my guiding principles — with both my end-user customers and employee team members. It's important to constantly lead by example and if I can't be flexible and adapt to changing business needs and changing technology solutions, I can't easily ask my business partners nor my employees to be flexible either." comfortable with them, and I'm certain my technology and analytical background was a major part of helping me land that job. I moved on from there to work for a vendor and manage PMS implementations." Working for Springer-Miller Systems, she traveled the country completing major installation projects and growing their installation team. Later, she continued traveling while managing technology implementations for Starwood Hotels and Resorts. These early experiences combined to provide her with the breadth of hospitality knowledge she has today. To support her changing family needs and her husband’s frequent relocation, she left Starwood Hotels and started her own company, ForEm Consultants. Her last move was to Las Vegas where she landed back in gaming as a project manager at Caesars Entertainment. Today, as the corporate director of 18

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IT for American Casino & Entertainment Properties, she oversees the 40+ person team that handles all technology for their four properties. As for the future, she is constantly interested and amazed in the ongoing developments with social, mobile and the ever blurring lines between work and home. Cuttingedge technology is not only happening in the workplace. "Often, I'm as fascinated with the technology developments in my personal life, especially since 'playing' with that technology is truly play time. Further, it is often those developments that help manage the balance between my work and personal life." When asked about today's biggest technology challenges, she imagines many people would put network and data security at the top of their list. However, beyond that, she adds adoption and implementation of new technology. Unlike the workforce of 20 years ago, today's employees are more comfortable with technology, but still they are often wary of change — and depending on the system, change can be much more complicated. "Back when I was implementing PMS systems, we might have had to deal with five or six interfaces. In today's environment, my major systems are pushing 15+ interfaces."  Written by Lou Cook

Monika Nerger Global Chief Information Officer Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group  Hong Kong / San Francisco

onika Nerger, counts The Huffington Post’s Arianna Huffington and Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg as great role models for anyone looking to pursue a career in technology. As head of technology, at one of the most globally recognized luxury hotel companies, it’s no stretch to include Nerger in that same company. And like those luminaries, Nerger, too, displays keen sagacity when it comes to the future of technology — particularly its place within hotels, both front and back of house. “Wearable technology and robotics,” she says are the future. For example, presently, engineers and housekeepers carry smartphones to receive service requests. “A wristband could communicate the same information more conveniently and more subtly,” she says. As for robotics? She refers to Manhattan’s Yotel, which has a robotic arm in the lobby to handle luggage. “This is an area of technology I’m watching closely,” she says. Having an understanding of what’s around her has helped Nerger, who joined Mandarin Oriental in 2006, achieve the position she holds today (she calls her

" It seems that there is always a flood in the data center, a system interface that doesn’t work, some strange bug in a program that never was there before; but when you look at these issues in retrospect it’s just another puzzle to solve, which is why I believe many of us choose technology as a profession."

promotion to CIO as something that “literally changed my life”). The marriage of technology and hotels always made perfect sense. “I think I was born with wanderlust in my DNA,” she says. “I have always had a need to travel and experience the world.” Couple that with her affinity for technology. “The intersection of technology and hospitality was the perfect combination of two passions,” she says. And while leading Mandarin Oriental’s technological pursuits can be taxing, luckily for Nerger, she has a talented team to rely on. “People and teamwork trump all,” she says. “The skill set is to a large degree secondary, because no one is an expert in all facets of technology, and we are all learning new things continually.” Mandarin Oriental’s IT team is as proficient as it is diverse, spread out in 25 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Asia. This

diversity requires a group that can effectively communicate across cultures, languages and time zones. “I am proud to say my team does this quite well,” Nerger says. And with Mandarin Oriental continuing to open new hotels, Nerger and her team are constantly tasked with making sure the technology is right and it works — lest draw the ire of customers and owners alike. “Every new hotel opening is a major undertaking requiring exceptional teamwork, and inevitably there will be elements that don’t go quite as planned. This is particularly true for technology, which seems to be at the intersection of Murphy’s Law and Moore’s Law,” Nerger says. “But when you look at these issues in retrospect, it’s just another puzzle to solve, which is why I believe many of us choose technology as a profession.” When Nerger isn’t on the clock, she is quite the musical enthusiast — and, yes, being married to a professional musician has something to do with that. Her husband is Joe Bithorn, who plays the role of George Harrison in Rain, one of the most popular and well-known Beatles tribute bands in the country. “Our home is filled with books, music, instruments and a lot of laughter,” she says. “That makes everything worthwhile."  Written by David Eisen HITEC 2014 Special Report

The Women of Hospitality Technology

Vanessa Ogle Chief Executive Officer Enseo, Inc.  Richardson, Texas

echnology and innovation have been constants in Vanessa Ogle’s life. Her father began working in technology during the mid-'70s, and both her parents were entrepreneurial. During vacations, Vanessa worked in the family business and some of her first bosses later became employees in her own company Enseo, Inc. As a 29-year old business, marketing and Spanish graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, Ogle was a vice president and general manager of STB systems. In 2000, she founded Enseo, a provider of in-room entertainment and digital signage for hospitality, retail, healthcare, government, and stadiums and arenas. And, she started the technology company one year before a major market meltdown. Despite this inauspicious beginning, Enseo has thrived, and now powers more than 1.7 million hotel rooms. Their initial consumer product was the first electronic program guide, the TV Guide Channel. “We were also selling product to both On Command Video and Lodgenet to power their video on de-

" My favorite part of hospitality is the way hoteliers collaborate with vendor partners to bring the best product and experience to the guest. Hotel companies and vendors get in the same room and all brainstorm what kinds of innovation would bring value to their organizations and their guests. It is a unique level of sharing that brings the best products to market."

mand systems to hotels and JetBlue, and Frontier Airline for Airline Seatback Entertainment.” Then the events of 9/11 struck hard and Enseo lost ALL their business. Ogle says, “We quickly re-purposed our technology into a solution to fit the digital signage and cinema business and would not have survived if not for a partnership with AMC theaters.” Today Enseo faces the “fantastic” challenge of new growth. “Our corporate culture is what makes us successful, and I am determined to grow carefully and to make sure new members of the Enseo team will keep our core values of integrity, innovation and inspiration.” Ogle says her job is pretty simple. Listen to what technologies are available, listen to what the customer wants, then execute and deliver. “The trick is to keep doing this over and over again.” 20

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At the moment Ogle is particularly enthusiastic about Coax cable. Enseo will take what appears to be “a boring piece of black cable” found in every hotel room and enable guests to stream their own content from the cloud directly to their guestroom. “It will revolutionize the guest experience.” Ogle’s favorite part of hospitality is the collaboration between various hotel companies and their partner vendors. “It is a unique level of sharing and partnership that brings the best products to market.” While she has faced many challenges, she believes that not being a man is not one of them. Once during a business coaching session, a male coach criticized not the content of her presentation, but her hair “too curly” and her smile “too much.” Present at the time was a female bank president, who drawled ”Bullsh**!! Vanessa, you are here because of who you are…don’t listen to those men, just be yourself!” Now she watches with awe the industry’s leading ladies. “They handle themselves with such poise, professionalism and remain authentic to who they are while they lead.” 

Written by Lou Cook

Valyn Perini Consultant Acton, Mass.

alyn Perini’s entry into the technology field came when she was working as a function space diary clerk for a hotel with 35,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. When the diary was about to be automated, she became the project manager, overseeing the implementation and training of the application at the pilot hotel, then at all of the group’s hotels in North America. Of course the technologies she sees today within the travel and hospitality technology space are different than those early automation days. But she says the challenges themselves haven’t changed much. “What I faced then is the same as today: keeping up with and managing the speed of change, being open to new ideas and unafraid of new technologies. A curious mind and a solid network of smart colleagues and peers are the most effective methods I know to overcome IT challenges,” she advises. Perini, who was at OpenTravel Alliance, and worked at PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Swissôtel, takes the “curious mind” mandate seriously. When asked about best practices for running an IT department in a field that is constantly

" The challenges haven’t changed much; what I faced then are the same as today — keeping up with and managing the speed of change, being open to new ideas and unafraid of new technologies. A curious mind and a solid network of smart colleagues and peers are the most effective methods I know to overcome IT challenges."

evolving, she invokes that same quest for knowledge: “Hire people smarter than you, then learn all you can from them. Read, read, read and listen, listen, listen. I love to attend conferences and events because I always learn something that changes the way I look at a commercial or technology challenge. Closeting ourselves in our offices and never raising our eyes to the horizon leads to technological and professional myopia,” she says. While she doesn’t like fixating on the role of gender in her work life, she does think that attending a women’s liberal arts college (Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Ga.), where the emphasis was on critical thinking and written and verbal communication skills, was helpful. “Those skills have allowed me to interact successfully with almost anyone — male or female, junior or senior, American or Swiss, Silicon Valley or Omaha, hotel executive or airline executive — at all points in my career.”

While she’s a hard worker with decades of experience, Perini hasn’t let the fun aspects of the hospitality industry pass her by. “My favorite part of this industry is the travel, hands down. I couldn’t believe my luck when I started traveling internationally for Swissôtel. To be able to see the world and make friends with the locals who were my colleagues and do it on someone else’s dime. What could possibly be better than that?” She cites those strong friendships and mentors she’s made among her best memories during her career. “Once I made a home for myself in the travel industry, I discovered how generous my peers and seniors were, and still are.” Her mental photo album includes some vantage points that would have been hard to see if she had chosen another career, including “riding the trains in Switzerland between hotel implementations in Zurich, Basel and Montreux to drinking champagne in a limo at the New York Hotel Show to hiking the Great Wall with an international coterie of co-workers.” In her off hours, she cheers for two baseball teams — the Red Sox and the Braves — takes photos with cameras with actual film, skis, bicycles and even enjoys shoveling snow.  Written by Margaret Littman HITEC 2014 Special Report

The Women of Hospitality Technology

Sophie Pommois Project Director Global Distribution GHA — Global Hotel Alliance  Geneva, Switzerland

t is hard not to get lost in a sea, mountain or information highway of information. Sophie Pommois knows. “We have so much information available. It is easy however to get lost in too much and unstructured data.” But Pommois, who speaks five languages (French, English, German, Spanish and Italian), and thus juggles more information in more tongues than most people, has one secret word to help IT professionals deal with all that data overload: document. “Keep control of what you do: document,” she urges. “Documenting your actions is extremely important from the configuration and change tracking point of view. When you work with multiple systems — with thousands of settings — you can’t just change a configuration without documenting it.” And, she adds, the process must be clear for everyone on your team. “Any change in system settings can have consequences, some of which appear days or months later. If you don’t document, you can’t go back.” In one previous job, Pommois says she was called a “control freak” for her tendency to encourage her team to update documentation immediately. But she

" I think managing big data is a new science in our hospitality profession and future performance of brands/companies will be defined by their level of expertise in this domain. We have so much information available, but may not able to use it properly... We need to simplify the consolidation and the display of it, and integration between different systems, platforms and external sources of data is the defining key element." had her reasons. “Documentation done wrong means that you will encounter a day when errors boomerang back to you, resulting in lost time and interrupted business processes.” Documentation also helps what Pommois sees as the top challenge for hospitality IT professionals today: the wide cross-section of different systems and, therefore, systems integration. “We are all speaking about industry standards, but it is very difficult to have the vendors implementing those standards. That’s why the prominence of the company for which you are working is important: You have to push, push, push those vendors to go ahead,” she says. “Otherwise, it will never happen.” Pommois made her way into hospitality IT when searching for an internship while studying at the Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne and there were some 22

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new (at that time) opportunities within technology. Upon graduation, the founder of Fidelio, Dietmar Mueller-Elmau offered her a job based in Munich. That was in 1989, during the early days of Fidelio, and was a life-changing experience. During that time she acted as a firsttime-ambassador for Fidelio in many countries around the world. "At the early stages I felt a bit insecure, being a young woman with no operational hotel background coming out of the hotel school,” she remembers. “After you prove what you can do, there is no issue.” A hobbyist sailor on Switzerland’s Lake Geneva in her free time, Pommois likes the sport because of its purity: “You cannot hide anything on a boat; there is no space for insincerity.” And she is equally pragmatic as a leader when it comes to helping her teams to resolve issues. As is the case in any industry, she says, there are constantly problems to be solved. She makes sure her team takes all sides of a solution into consideration before it is implemented, thanks to pro and con lists, and encourages her staff to stick with their decisions. You do not want to abandon too fast, if you don’t see any resolution right away, she cautions. “Most of the time, there is a way.”  Written by Margaret Littman

Connie Rheams Senior Vice President, Business Development Indra Company  Miami, Fla.

orking as an executive for Indra, the third largest IT company in Europe, certainly is a great and responsible job, but is not what Rheams planned. At age 19, she yearned to work on a cruise ship and had secretly applied for a position. She wanted to explore the world. Rheams confided in her sister who suggested a career with the airlines, but flight attendant wasn’t a good fit. At that time Rheams was majoring in business at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and working part-time in a hardware store. One day destiny arrived in the form of a vacuum-cleaner. A customer came in, bought the vacuum and paid by a check with an American Airlines logo. The purchaser was responsible for American’s reservations center in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Rheams requested a job application. The company hired her, and she spent her next 14 years with American Airlines. “I didn’t know I wanted to be in hospitality until I got a taste of the travel industry.” Tom Boorman, a former managing director for American, became her mentor. “He helped shape the business woman I am today. He taught me how to

" Whether working in IT for a hotel company or developing IT for a hotel company, continuous improvement and delivering innovation quicker must drive us. The market is moving quickly, and we have to figure out a way to stay on pace. I would challenge all companies to spend more time on innovation versus maintenance, and have an open vision for alternatives."

lead a team, always stressing the importance of treating members with respect, giving them the courage to share their ideas, creating ownership, providing a setting to encourage creativity, and making the workplace fun and stimulating.” After 10 years, American asked Rheams to run the hospitality division of TeleService Resources, a division of Sabre. “My team of 500+ provided call center content, management and channel connectivity services, and a central reservation system to hotel groups.” Since Rheams would inherit the new system, she became actively involved in design and function. She says, “Before long hotel technology became a passion of mine, and I quickly became an advocate of pushing technology forward to deliver end-to-end processes with a slant of supporting sales and marketing efforts." “The Wild-Wild-West nature of hotel technology also amazes me, and it’s this niche that I found myself drawn to. As an industry, we have only scratched

the surface when it comes to automation.” She sees endless opportunities to develop new solutions, mass market existing solutions, adopt new approaches, streamline business procedures and operations, deliver personalized guest experiences and interact with the personal media brought by guests. One of the biggest challenges she faces is getting people to think differently in terms of their approach to technology. After spending decades juggling disparate systems and trying to establish industry standards for multiple vendors, she's become a proponent of taking a more holistic approach. This involves adopting a platform strategy and building multiple applications on top of that platform."There is bona fide research showing that hotel groups which have adopted this approach are experiencing big wins in efficiency, customer experience, costs reductions and the ability to be far more agile." Looking at today's technology developments, Rheams has an eye toward the convergence of big data and business intelligence interests. “I am curious to see how the technology-driven information will enable our industry to have a more complete picture of each guest from structured and unstructured data and create personalized experiences along with new revenue opportunities."  Written by Lou Cook HITEC 2014 Special Report

The Women of Hospitality Technology

Ursula Rhode Chief Operating Officer Genares Worldwide Reservation Services  Irving, Texas

rsula Rhode describes herself as a highly driven and a seasoned operational professional with detailed hotel, electronic distribution, sales and travel management on a global basis. She came to Genares as an executive vice president in 2006 and has become a well-respected and proven industry leader, and an expert in strategic and tactical planning and implementation. Rhode is the decision maker for all facets of operations, including business development, IT, account management, marketing, vendor negotiations, and developing partnerships with suppliers and OTAs. Her responsibilities cover electronic distribution through the Global Distribution Systems and the Internet. Born in Bad Nauheim, Germany, she looked to her brother when deciding where to direct her career path after earning a bachelor's degree with a business focus. Her brother worked for TWA, and Rhode envied the exotic places he visited. Emulating him, she began working for United Airlines, training travel agents to use computers for selling hotels, a completely new concept for the agents. “They barely knew how to use computers for booking air.”

" As we look forward to what's coming down the pipeline, I am interested in how we'll overcome localization constraints. A huge amount of quality content will be created throughout the world at high speeds. It will need to be converted to local language, adopted to local cultural expressions and meet regulatory norms."

Her favorite part of the industry is the constant change, never a dull moment. “You have to embrace the changes and move forward.” She had always been fascinated by computers. Wanting to learn more, she began working for THISCO (now Pegasus) since they were known for their unique switch in communication with the various GDS and were early pioneers of using the Web for booking travel. As a female looking to advance in a predominately male environment filled with good ole Texas boy mentality, she established a work ethic that helped her rise to the COO position. Rhode says it was the ultimate test of her patience, and she learned the importance of having a solution in mind before addressing an issue, in never giving up, staying positive and treating 24

HITEC 2014 Special Report

others as she liked to be treated. “In one of my first management jobs, my best advice came from a boss who told me that I should never expect people to work with the same drive I had, but to set the example and to understand that everyone was not going to be a super achiever.” Leadership and teamwork are important, and Rhode operates with an open door policy. “I told each one of my team members. If you make a mistake, don’t try and hide it, but let’s try to fix it together. We had a situation where we had to migrate 900 hotels in one day. We had established a core group that met every week, did the gap analysis, had a project plan, assigned different responsibilities and followed them up every week. We had a successful migration without a hitch.” Rhode’s challenges as a top female professional have changed in the course of her career. She says that being a minority means having to go an extra mile to find your place in the broader culture. Taking time to explain yourself and to listen more carefully. Provide positive feedback and help people understand that women add a different perspective, which needs to be considered. She notes, “Don’t tell me how the clock was built. How do we keep it running?”  Written by Lou Cook

Kris Singleton Chief Information Officer The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas  Las Vegas

ris Singleton did not start her tech career in hotels and casinos, but in an altogether different feel-good industry: greeting cards. Post-graduation from Central Missouri State University, where she earned a bachelor’s of science in CIS and Management, she established her IT background with Hallmark Cards in a variety of positions including client-server development, IT staff and end-user training and application support. But with the tragic terrorist attacks of September 11, Singleton’s husband, an ex-secret service agent, was called upon to help with the expansion of the Federal Air Marshal Service. A change that moved them from their home in the Midwest to Las Vegas. While Singleton continued to work with Hallmark remotely, a company that provided great support to their employees and where she had been for 13 years, she missed interacting with people and the camaraderie of working onsite. Looking for her next move, it was only natural to step into gaming and hospitality — no doubt a specialty of Vegas. She was introduced to Scot Campbell, who was the vice president of IT at the MGM Mirage at the time, and was hired.

" Too many times, executives just want to install some technology and think it will be the silver bullet that solves all the issues. It is my responsibility to help them understand that we must start with the goal and focus on the people and process first. Then we can select the right technology that can enable us to meet that goal."

“I think the best thing I gained from Scot was the importance of building a strong relationship with the operations teams. Understanding the core of what we do and communicating how technology enables them to achieve their business goals.” Since then she has gained her footing in the industry with positions at the MGM Mirage, Kimpton Hotels and Resorts and, since 2011, at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Her time in the industry has brought on one of her most rewarding and challenging projects, where she had to consolidate 23 properties with different PMS to a single enterprise solution. It took a year of research, investigation and crafting information into meaningful business ROI to reach a unanimous decision. She says, “I learned a great deal from several intelligent executives

about ROI, negotiations and persuasive presentations; along with key technology development and future product strategy that are critical to these important and long standing decisions.” With all the bells and whistles that come in a constantly changing field, Singleton is strong in her conviction to not get lost in the new stuff and be too quick to adopt a technology just for the sake of technology. “Too many times, executives just want to install some technology and think it will be the silver bullet that solves all the issues,” she says. “It is my responsibility to help them understand that we must start with the goal and focus on the people and process first. Then we can select the right technology that can enable us to meet that goal.” She also sees the potential to lose focus on data governance with the growing popularity of big data, predictive analysis and cloud technologies. The risk to the influx of these tools is losing sight of the process around data governance to maintain data integrity. “Once you lose the confidence in the accuracy of your data, it becomes worthless. These are huge investments and we need to be smart about data and moving that to information, then to knowledge and finally to wisdom.”  Written by Eliza Selig HITEC 2014 Special Report

The Women of Hospitality Technology

Naomi Stark President Stark Service Solutions, LLC  Orlando, Fla.

rowing up in a small New Hampshire town, Naomi Stark dreamed big. As early as high school, she knew she wanted to work in the travel industry. After she vacationed in Hawaii, and experienced real resort hospitality, she narrowed her career goals to hotels and resorts. “What appeals to me the most about hospitality are the ‘serendipitous moments’ that occur all the time. I’ve had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world that I would have never met otherwise,” she explains. Now president and CEO of Stark Service Solutions, LLC, an Orlando-based consultancy and firm that develops Web-based programs for the industry, which started in 2001. Stark still has her sense of wanderlust, loving to take to the Florida roads with the wind in her hair on a motorcycle. “Both relaxing and exhilarating,” she says, “there is nothing like a ride along the coast.” Even when faced with the kinds of travel adventures that make some decide to stay home, Stark has prevailed and continued to embrace it all. At HITEC in Austin, Texas in 2011, Stark was a first-time speaker, as well as the incoming

" Hospitality is one of the most far reaching industries on the planet. As a global industry, with global employees and customers, I firmly believe we have a unique opportunity to have a significant impact on our valuable resources — water, power, paper, etc. We have both the opportunity and the responsibility, which few other industries have."

chair of the AH&LA Technology and E-Business Committee. “It was a pretty big event for me professionally,” she remembers. She also remembers — it is hard to forget — that while at dinner with colleagues the night before, she had a severe allergic reaction to what turned out to be bed-bug bites. “I was soon covered in enormous welts and hives from the neck down and ended up in the ER most of the night.” She took a quick nap in her hotel room before donning a pantsuit to cover the red blotches, and headed for the convention center. “What I learned from this experience is: Life is going to throw you curve balls no matter how prepared you are. There will simply be times you just have to deal with the challenges because failure is not an option.” Failure certainly has not been the case at Stark Service Solutions. “Since the introduction of social media and online reviews, our Web-based tools have 26

HITEC 2014 Special Report

become even more popular,” she says. “For example, one client has recently been recognized for all but eliminating their guest complaints, averaging just one complaint to every 7,500 reservations. We love how our technology has played a part in the advancement of guest satisfaction and hotelier success.” Of course, it wasn’t always easy. “When we started out, mobile device and smartphones didn’t exist. With most hospitality employees not being computer-facing, it was a stretch for our clients to see how they could benefit from our software tools. Technology has since advanced significantly, yet even today there is still some hesitation to automate what have long been paper-based manual systems.” Looking forward, Stark hopes to move more clients to paperless systems, with a particular interest in sustainable and green initiatives. “Seeing technology improve how we use our resources and reduce waste is of absolute interest to me. For example, I recently stayed at the Omni Dallas hotel, I was much more excited about having to use my key card to ‘power up’ the electricity in my room than I was about the type of TV that was in the room.” 

Written by Margaret Littman

Menka Uttamchandani Vice President of Business Intelligence Denihan Hospitality Group  New York City

ur industry has no shortage of data, leveraging data enables us to take smart, calculated risks. Not using data is blind risk, like flying a plane without cockpit controls,” says Menka Uttamchandani. Uttamchandani isn’t one to fly blind. Managing the business intelligence (BI) practice at Denihan Hospitality Group, Uttamchandani works in tandem with the company’s revenue management, sales, marketing and operations teams, using strategic and tactical analytics, reporting and dashboarding to help drive revenues, manage costs and guide strategic direction. Denihan’s BI practice was lauded in 2013 by IBM as a smarter analytics customer success story. The company’s efforts were also featured as one of five companies with esteemed BI practices in Profiles in Performance, a book written by Howard Dresner (aka, ”the father of BI”). She cites collaboration across functions and leveraging the strengths of her own talented team members as being vital to Denihan's BI success.

" One big challenge today is the huge volume and variety of data and another big challenge is data coming from disparate/new and legacy systems. Not only does this data need to talk to each other appropriately, but the big data explosion of the recent years necessitates a greater need for both better visualization to easily grasp the message/trend in large volumes of data and also to identify what data to focus on."

One of Uttamchandani’s most memorable projects when she arrived at Denihan was the “Win Back” project she initiated to incent previous guests to stay again at Denihan hotels. By analyzing and then reaching out to repeat guests who had a lapse in return visits, Uttamchandani worked across multiple disciplines to lead the effort that resulted in a resounding 300 percent ROI and significant return visits among Denihan’s most loyal customers. Even after years in both hotels and at the corporate level, Uttamchandani finds analytics satisfying, and recognizes challenges that have been a constant throughout her career. Today, as was the case when Uttamchandani began her work in hospitality technology working in database marketing at Hyatt Interna-

tional in Hong Kong, she thinks about data integrity. “The data that goes into the systems determines the reliability and breadth of data; and hence value and potential of effective analysis. Establishing coding, mapping, data integrity awareness and insight into how business processes affect the data is key” she says. According to Uttamchandani, today’s analytics present their own hurdles. “Challenges today include the volume, variety and veracity of data, as well as data from disparate systems. Not only is it critical that these data sources connect suitably, but the ‘big data’ explosion of the recent years necessitates a greater need for identifying on which data to focus and for superior visualization to discern meaning in large volumes of data,” she said. Uttamchandani expertly weaves her way through the dynamic tech world thanks, in part, to a piece of advice she was given from Ananya Narayan, a mentor with whom she worked at Hyatt International earlier in her career. As they sliced and diced data, he advised her, “Always use the ‘So What’ check. Ask yourself: What will we do with this information? Is it going to change what we do?” According to Uttamchandani, the answer to that question helps set priorities and separates the need to know from the nice-to-know.  Written by Margaret Littman HITEC 2014 Special Report

The Women of Hospitality Technology

Yvette Vincent Senior Director of Information Systems Delaware North Companies, Inc.  Buffalo, N.Y.

“This experience taught me that people come first, and IT can be used to provide geographically disperse business continuity to support both customer and associate needs,” says Vincent. An open book to her friends, family and co-workers, Vincent is an adept networker and collaborator, as was made clear during one of her favorite projects, the selection of a reservation system, which required working with a variety of hospitality leaders. “This involved obtaining requirements and buy-in across many departments, both vertically and horizontally: setting selection criteria, creating data standards and new system procedures, and developing sustainable processes and standards bodies to maintain them and drive system value,” she says. The implementation was a collaborative effort.

Vincent got to her leadership role in the hospitality industry through technology. “I had worked in IT application developer positions for non-customer facing technology, so the move into a hospitality IT position where the technology would also benefit the customer directly sounded exciting,” she remembers of her move 17 years ago. “This is still the best part of the industry to me. I get to impact technology to make the guest experience even better.” When Vincent graduated from college with a computer degree, she hadn’t worked with personal computers or the Internet, as both those technologies were new at the time. A curious lifelong learner, she has adapted and stayed ahead of the curve, in part through activities with associations such as HFTP and HTNG. Looking forward, she’s particularly interested in crowdfunding, Open Source and other ways that new technology is being funded. Whether at work or off-the-clock, Vincent jumps in with both feet. Before becoming a mom, she competed in international style ballroom and Latin dancing with an amateur partner. Whether on vacation or at the office, she’s clear in her focus: “The best piece of advice I ever got was to always stay true to my opinions, support them with objectivity and fact, and don’t get discouraged if others don’t agree.” 

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Written by Margaret Littman

vette Vincent was vacationing in New Orleans with her husband and two small children in August 2005. After having a great time on a weeklong trip on the American Queen steamboat (which at the time was owned by Delaware North Companies, Vincent’s employer), they had planned to spend the weekend in the Crescent City before flying out on August 29. That, of course was the day Hurricane Katrina made landfall and all plans changed. Vincent’s family learned that flights were cancelling as reports of the storm intensified. Rental cars quickly sold out. So, they made it back onto the American Queen, which got out just before the city closed down. While they were safe, local cell towers went out early that fateful Monday, so there was very little communication or information to provide to the ship’s staff regarding the tragedies unfolding for their hometown and families on shore. Looking back, Vincent is grateful for the skills and compassion of Captain John Duggar, his wife and crew, as well as the insight their professionalism and the whole experience provided her back at work.

" The mindset change in how new technology is developed and funded has my interest. Open Source has been around for some time, but the rise of crowd funding is producing or expanding some new game changers: Adapteva is working through low power, consumer priced supercomputing; Oculus Rift can change not only the gaming experience, but also associate training and consumer experiences; and 3D printing has unlimited possibilities."

Jing Zhu President and CEO 3D Networks China Co., Ltd.  Beijing, China

here’s no questioning why Jing Zhu, has been such a success story in the mostly male-dominated business of technology. It’s her parents, naturally. They reared her to believe that she was the same as everyone else, and could succeed in anything she put her mind to. Confidence was never an issue for her. “I was taught by my parents from a young age that females are no different from males,” she says. Zhu took it from there, excelling in the classroom among her predominantly male peers. “There were, indeed, very few girls in the classroom, but I was always in the top three every year with outstanding student awards,” she says. In fact, she thinks women have a leg up often in the workplace. “There is an advantage of being the female in a leadership position, in particular in hospitality,” she says. “Females have better communication skills in many aspects.” Zhu always knew she wanted a career in technology; in fact, no other pursuit, she says, ever crossed her mind. In order to achieve her goal, Zhu studied computer science and telecommunications at Beijing University.

" I continue to address bringing advanced foreign hospitality technology and products into China and adapting them to be suitable for the Chinese hospitality industry environment. I try to lead our company in working out more creative and innovative IT end-to-end solutions through frequent international cooperation to illustrate to Chinese hoteliers what's available and gain their trust." She joined 3D Networks China in 2005 and has been credited for her contributions and innovation within the hospitality segment. Her biggest challenge now is equipping China’s hotels with the technology needed to compete on a global scale. “My challenge is bringing advanced foreign hospitality technology and products into China and making them suitable for the Chinese hospitality industry environment,” she says. It’s also about educating Chinese hoteliers, “helping them understand the significance of technology for the industry,” Zhu says. Like her American counterparts, she keeps abreast of the latest technology, paying special attention to that which is applicable to the hotel industry. “I have kept pace in exploring the best technologies for the industry, including the cloud, mobility, wearable technologies and cross-over platforms,” she says.

She adds that these are the areas where her company has made the biggest investments. Beyond her own merit, Zhu had help along the way through a cast of mentors and role models. Today, she looks to give back. As the chairperson of the non-profit China Hospitality Technology Alliance, one of her goals is to help and cultivate the young generation of technological talent in China. One of Zhu’s biggest leadership moments came when working on the opening of The Venetian Macao, a project the company won in 2010. Problem was 3D Networks’ Macao office wasn’t set up and there were almost no local resources that could be used. “As company and sales team leader, I mobilized resources and technical backup from 3D Networks’ Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Beijing offices to build up a specialized project team for The Venetian Macao." The team included members for sales, technology consulting, customer service, project management, purchasing and supply chain departments. She says: “ Everyone’s task and responsibility were defined very clearly to guarantee every question and requirement from the customer could be responded to and met the first time. Excellent teamwork made the impossible, possible.”  Written by David Eisen HITEC 2014 Special Report

Distribution Management TECH TRENDS Project

Pitching Your Project By Mark G. Haley, CHTP, ISHC

Gain project buy-in with a well thought out and researched presentation

nless you are the hotel owner, pretty much every project in a hotel, IT or otherwise, requires someone to approve the investment. Some projects get approved by the general manager (GM), but substantial efforts typically have to go through several layers of approval in some corporate hierarchy, and often by an asset manager or other owner’s representative as well. All of these people need to be convinced that the project is the right thing to do for the business and a good investment. So how do you go about convincing them? Let’s start with the easy stuff.

Know the Rules of Your Game Your company should have documented processes for handling the approval of various sized projects. The GM and controller might be able to approve projects under $100,000 with further approval required for greater amounts. You need to know what that process is in your company and follow it. Most hotel companies have an “approved vendor list” that hotel IT projects may buy products from. Many hotel companies have sole-source agreements for strategic systems, typically the property management system (PMS). They negotiate these agreements so as to ensure consistency of service delivery, simplify decision-making and enable greater mobility of personnel (if the same systems are in use from hotel to hotel, then your people Mark Haley, CHTP, ISHC is managing partner of The Prism Partnership, LLC a boutique consultancy servicing the global hospitality industry at the intersection of technology and marketing. He can be reached at mhaley@theprismpartnership.com.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Project Management

can go from one to another without re-training). Whether a sole-source or a selection from a list, these kinds of projects will typically have negotiated prices and terms already established, except for an independent property. If you propose the corporateapproved systems, your project has a much better chance of being approved. At that point, make sure that your capital project proposal package is complete and put together in a business-like manner. This means business-formatted typing, with proper sentences and free of typographical errors. If still done on paper, then you want to have it in a folder or binder that is attractive and organized, with an appropriate cover memorandum. More on that later.

Do Your Homework But what if your hotel is an independent, with no corporate structure making decisions and negotiating most-favored pricing deals? Or the particular project doesn’t have a deal in place? Then you need to do some work, and your capital project package needs to reflect that work. The work part entails doing your shopping in a professional manner. The flow of needs analysis, request for proposal and negotiation has all been documented elsewhere and really outside the scope of this article. Your proposal package needs to include a summary of the shopping process you went through and a comparison of the proposals you received. This comparison should illustrate the differences between the proposals on feature/function, proper configuration, vendor stability and other relevant dimensions, as well as price. In most organizations, price is a factor, not the factor. A comparison like the following will be convincing: "We recommend Proposal A because it was the low-cost proposal,

the configuration will cover our needs for the present plus 10 percent growth, it has all of the features required in the RFP except a couple minor, low-weighted items and the vendor has been in business for 18 years and is profitable. We discounted Proposal B because it was 14 percent more expensive than A, the configuration will barely cover the property today and will require a new server to accommodate our expected growth and it lacks several major elements of functionality we consider important. The vendor started business earlier this year and is a re-seller of Company X’s products. Company X is currently going through bankruptcy reorganization. The proposal was carelessly written and sloppy in presentation, suggesting their execution may be as well.” Again, packaging your request for funds attractively and in a businesslike manner will go a long way to make the sale. Just as Proposal B was discounted for being sloppy, your request for capital funds will be discounted if not done professionally.

Justification At some point, someone is probably going to say “What is the ROI (return on investment)?” Notice they never ask for an ROI on ballroom carpets or bathroom fixtures, but almost always for IT expenses. In the hotel business, successful requests for capital funding typically revolve around two or more of the following three crucial dimensions: Improve Guest Service and Enhance the Guest Experience. “Our guests expect good, stable Wi-Fi service in the rooms and public spaces or they will go stay elsewhere.” Reduce Costs. “Our existing WiFi access points are failing at the rate of five per month and it requires six to eight man hours to troubleshoot and replace a failed device.”

Increase Revenue. “By upgrading and improving our Wi-Fi infrastructure we can resume charging for HSIA like our competitive set does.” Sometimes you will need to calculate a formal ROI estimate. A simple way to express ROI as a percentage is: All Profit Improvements1 Total Investment

X 100

Payback period is another means to illustrate the ROI. If a $100,000 investment will increase profitability by $10,000 a month (through increased revenues, decreased costs or both), then the payback period is 10 months. However, calculating the increases in revenue or decreases in cost over the period you measure can be challenging, and will usually call for making some assumptions. If it is a long period of time, then one needs to account for the time value of money by using a present value calculation. The present value formula in Excel is: (rate, nper, pmt, fv, type). Rate is the factor you are using to estimate the cost of capital: if you borrowed the money at 7 percent, the rate would be .07 for an annual calculation or .07/12 for a monthly value. Nper is the number of periods, so it might be three years for an annual estimate or 36 for months. PMT is the payment amount or in this case, the change in profitability. FV is future value, normally ignored in this use case, as is the Type value. You can learn about these techniques and more at HITEC 2014! Be sure to attend the System Selection and the Pitch Your Project Boot Camps on Monday, June 23. It will be time well spent!  1. Generally, owners care about profit improvements. Sometimes a management company can be convinced by revenue increases alone, if the management contract incentivizes revenue over profit.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Distribution Management TECH TRENDS Project

Steps to System Selection By Cihan Cobanoglu, Ph.D., CHTP

Careful evaluation of needs and available options leads to systems that serve optimally for the long-term

ver the last decade, property management systems (PMS) became mission-critical systems for the hotel industry. A vast majority of the hotels use PMS and there are many different types of PMS systems used in the market. For many hotel owners and managers, PMS system investment is a major investment. PMS systems come in many different shapes and include different functions. Therefore, the selection process for a PMS system for a hotel often becomes complicated. In some cases hoteliers are not familiar with all the different functions of a PMS system. Hence, sometimes PMS systems purchased may have functions that will never be used or may lack important and vital functions needed to optimize the sales process. The purpose of this article is to identify best practices when it comes to selecting a technology system for a hospitality company.

Steps to System Selection

Reviewing Organizational Needs: This step should include the answers to these questions: What is the mission or purpose of an organization? What are the organizational goals or objectives? What is the organizational structure? What is the role of technology in service improvement? Asking and answering questions will definitely help in selecting the best system for a particular hospitality company because each of the answers

Cihan Cobanoglu, Ph.D., CHTP is the McKibbon Distinguished Chair Professor and dean at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee. He is also a member of the HITEC 2014 Advisory Council. Cobanoglu can be reached at cihan@cihan.org.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Project Management

may require a different type of system. For example, if you are part of a large chain or franchise system, then a server-client based with cloud support model may be the best choice. If you are a single operation with an option to grow multi-unit in the future, then a fully cloud based system may be robust enough for you. In this step, the buyer should also create a selection committee. This committee shall be composed of people who are direct or indirect users of the system from all levels of management. For example, for a PMS system, the selection committee may include the front office manager, a front desk supervisor, a front desk clerk, a reservation agent or operator, a server (because the PMS integrates to the point-of-sale system) and hotel engineer.

Evaluating Current Systems: This step is a summary of how information is processed, organized and distributed throughout the organization. The existing systems may be computer-based, manual or a combination of both. Before selecting or enhancing a system, a good grasp of work and information flows is necessary. This can be depicted in a flowchart. The second purpose of a systems evaluation is to identify problematic areas, such as inaccurate data (e.g., poor forecasting); duplicated work efforts (e.g. reservation system not connected to a multichannel distribution system); inadequate equipment (e.g., clerks must wait in line to check-in/out guests since there is only one front desk computer); inefficiencies in information flow (e.g., late charges);

poor customer interaction (e.g., front desk clerk spends too much time looking at computer monitor); outdated equipment (e.g., in-room TV system does not allow guests to stream movies from their Netflix accounts); procedural bottlenecks (e.g., check-out process is too long); discontented workers (e.g. computer program not â&#x20AC;&#x153;user friendlyâ&#x20AC;?). The third purpose of a systems evaluation is to determine whether current systems address an organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most vital areas. For example, should an international hotel use key resources updating reservation distribution channels manually or invest in new technology where room pricing decisions are largely automated and free up these resources to focus on strategic performance issues? The hospitality industry is constantly

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Project Management

An RFP is a document that serves as a communication tool between the buyer and the vendors (potential seller). The primary benefit of the RFP is that a vendor must respond to a standardized format. This eases the evaluation process when comparing the suitability of different property management systems.

changing and existing systems may not be able to accommodate new and unique situations. Finally, after a thorough systems evaluation, information system objectives are formulated, which may include adding new computer applications, upgrading or refining current systems, integrating systems, and/or re-engineering information and work flows.

Defining Budget Requirements: Many organizations want to spend the smallest possible amount and reap the most benefits. This short-sighted philosophy often paralyzes organizations. Determining whether an information system purchase is worthwhile requires the identification of investment costs and annual savings. Typically, investment costs include hardware, software, training and installation. Annual savings typically include reduced operating expenses, increased revenues and improved cash flow, less annual operating expenses (supplies, system maintenance, customer support, personnel, administrative, etc.). While there are various investment evaluation techniques, a popular and easy to understand method is payback. Payback determines the length of time required for a new system to generate enough savings to recoup the investment outlay. Generally, if the payback is five years or less, the organization should proceed with

HITEC 2014 Special Report

the investment. Alternative methods of financing such as leasing hardware or purchasing cloud-based software (Application Service Provider model) should be also considered.

Develop a Request for Proposal: This is probably the most important step of a system selection. An RFP is a document that serves as a communication tool between the buyer and the vendors (potential seller). The primary benefit of the RFP is that a vendor must respond to a standardized format. This eases the evaluation process when comparing the suitability of different property management systems. See the list below for what is typically contained in an RFP. Property Profile. A description of the property and its computing needs. Solicitation Instructions and Conditions. A guideline for submission of vendor proposals and a description of how vendor responses will be evaluated. System Specifications. A detailed description of desired features and requirements for each of the following areas: software and hardware performance, customer support, vendor reputation, and training and installation. It is mandatory that the RFP include guidelines for submission. To protect the property’s interest, all bids must be in writing. For promises relating to the price and perfor-

mance of the system to be legally binding, they must be included in a written contract. Vendor’s responses to RFP questions shall be included in and incorporated into any sales contract which may result. Vendor statements and claims within or appended to the RFP regarding product performance and capabilities shall be considered part of the proposal and therefore part of any sales contract which may result. The proposed prices, terms and conditions shall remain valid for a certain number of days following submission. The RFP should specify how the proposal will be evaluated. The RFP should also include a “no offer” clause which will release the buyer of any claims in the event that there is no system selected as a result of the RFP process. The RFP should then be communicated to potential vendors.

System Evaluation and Selection: A systematic approach should be used to evaluate the responses to the PFP process. One common evaluation method is the balanced scorecard approach in which the proposals are evaluated against important criteria (i.e. software performance, reputation, support and training, price). Then each of these criteria is weighted by selection committee based on their perceived level of importance. The scores in each category is then multiplied with the weight for that category to achieve a score. These scores are totaled and the top three vendors are usually invited to on-site demonstrations. It is critical for the buyer to provide a scripted demonstration request to vendors so that they all present the same features. A scripted demonstration is a real life based scenario in which the vendor will demonstrate in front of the selection committee. The same evaluation must be conducted after the on-site demonstrations and a finalist should be selected. 

Distribution Services TECH TRENDS Cloud

Cloud Services Come to Wi-Fi Access By Daniel Lister

A shift in perspective takes HSIA from hardware to software, making options more flexible and reliable

he use of Wi-Fi remains a top three amenity for hotel guests, but poor Wi-Fi service was the single largest complaint in most hotels during 2013. Wi-Fi is a complex area for hotels to manage and organize, especially with the speeds required and the sheer number of devices and types of devices in the market today. In the meantime Wi-Fi is growing faster than ever before. With the entrance of smartphones, tablets and other devices that travel with guests to be used for entertainment and social media, this trend will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. Over the last decade, network infrastructures have seen strong developments with the cabling infrastructure moving from Ethernet, coax and towards fiber â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with strong development in speed, capacity and bandwidth starting with 802.11n and now moving forward to 802.11ac/ad. Network switches are easily capable of handling and managing a multitude of users and bandwidth on a site. The trouble is that the gateways and the service providers that control the devices have seen very little development or change, either from a technology or attitude perspective. The reality is that there is a need for greater improvement of the guest IP network and guest access to the Internet. This also provides the opportunity for the hotel to add additional services to match with their branding, marketing and communication policies.

Daniel Lister is CEO for Danmagi, a company that offers Internet access solutions for the hospitality industries with three divisions based in Denmark, Brazil and India. He can be reached at dlister@danmagi.com.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Cloud Services

With the use of a cloud-based service, tailored to support guest needs and multiple devices, connection is freed from the limitations of the previous box solutions or licensing programs. More importantly the cloud environment offers guests and hotels quick solutions should they experience difficulties — without the need for expensive or time delayed site visits.

A Blow to the HSIA Gateway The most critical aspect has been the lack of much needed development by the hardware vendors and service providers. Access server vendors are still stuck with local access thinking, which limits the number of devices able to get online, or basic or non-existent bandwidth shaping, and a system that requires constant clearing of memory to continue the service. Effectively the gateway is the only part of the HSIA infrastructure that has not moved on and modernized. One reason for this is that the main providers really believed HSIA was dead and switched all their investment into buying and owning IPTV. The idea to have HSIA and IPTV to run over one IP network seemed a logical step. However the hardware required for this new service was expensive and the technology side was not running smoothly — but most soldiered on. In the desperation to cover the investment, an extraordinary shift took place as HSIA became just a “bolt-on” service that was included more often than not for free as part of a bundle. As we all know there is no such thing as a free lunch, and service levels continued to deteriorate. This in itself was not enough to bring focus back to HISA. Apple deserves the credit for this change in direction — turning everything on its head with the launch of the iPhone followed by the iPad.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Within a few years of the iPhone and iPad being on the market, HSIA had become a major service requirement to meet the needs of guest to connect their personal mobile devices. Now that guests were bringing their movies, news and social media with them, the biggest requirement was for good HSIA to meet their data hungry needs. These devices also communicate in much smarter ways, so the traditional gateway products started to struggle with the sheer volume and variety of media devices, neither of which they were designed to handle. Now the future of IPTV was in reverse and becoming a white elephant. The large providers who had invested so much were now caught out by this shift and the onslaught of the recession. At the same time the revenue for both HSIA and IPTV have been slipping away. The hotels themselves found that they were now stuck with higher costs for their IPTV networks, loss of control of the services, an inability to react quickly to changing guest demands, difficulties solving technical problems quickly and loss of revenue as guests watched their own media. There was no foreseeable payback on the investments made.

Think Service, Not Hardware In other areas of the IT/telecom within hotels there has been a lateral move towards cloud services, however this is not currently being used

in the HSIA market, but should be an obvious one. Many hotel groups are still thinking in “access provisioning” instead of “service provisioning.” They are still thinking in “hardware” instead of “service.” Probably the main reason for this is that many service providers want to sell hardware, licenses and hardware services to be combined with HSIA and, if possible, even with IPTV or other services to make it more complicated. The telcos' offering is only aimed towards their users using the hotels’ footprint. They generally do not cater for guest and hotel services, but when they do, it is usually poor or unworkable. For them it is about “off loading” the expensive networks such as 3G and 4G. However the hotels know that defining a proper working guest IP network is not that difficult — the problem lies in having control and visibility of the HSIA service. HSIA is a perfect environment to be managed through a cloud-based service whereby the hotels have both a local appliance in the guest IP network and all of the data within the cloud. Everybody involved within the HSIA service (local, regional and central IT / marketing managers, local general managers, support centers, service providers and executive teams) should be able to control and manage part or all of the HSIA service in real-time. In real-time, HSIA can be used as a fully flexible service where local activities can be implemented and where the central organization can take care of company information such as branding, loyalty programs, servicing and support, and pricing (free, paid or any combination to be changed at any time if required). In addition the hotel can oversee trends and new requirements, giving the hotel group the opportunity to imme-

Cloud Services

diately add content instead of having to re-define the networks. With the use of a cloud-based service, tailored to support guest needs and multiple devices, the connection is freed from the limitations of the previous box solutions or licensing programs. More importantly the cloud environment offers guests and hotels quick solutions should they experienced difficulties — without the need for expensive or time delayed site visits.

So is Cloud HSIA the Next Step? The advantages for hoteliers, and especially hotel groups, are potentially enormous. True cloud HSIA provides the ability to have real time visibility of statistics and data, from network usage to guest support and much more. The data is especially useful for individual hotels as

well as when reviewing by group, region, brand or country. This means management has access to data in real-time, with no more waiting for outdated monthly reports or feed back on performance. Cloud HSIA reduces both capital and operating costs as there is no expensive hardware required onsite, no need for maintenance agreements, nor potentially limiting licenses. The system is more reliable with better SLAs, meaning faults are dealt with in real-time and actions are taken centrally without the need to make an onsite visit. This gives a greater guest experience. The solution is easy to deploy and requires no onsite maintenance. All settings and services are easy to control and changed in the cloud. The very fact a data center controls the guest experience means

that the provider can offer service flexibility. Gone are radius, memory and bandwidth issues. However some of the nicest features of a true cloud-based HSIA are the marketing opportunities and potential to build on brand loyalty. It is an incredible opportunity to provide an enhanced guest experience of tailored suggestions or offers direct to the guest's device. This is regardless of the media, without loss of content or message and with no need to download an app. This is a new, potential “game changer” technology. The number of truly cloud HSIA companies can still be counted on one hand. However with guest complaints in traditional HSIA hitting an all time high in 2013, and the proven result of cloud HSIA, hotels are now considering their options. 

Come Learn About the Updated CHTP Designation

Visit HFTP booth #455 or Room 519 on Wednesday and Thursday for details.

As we all know, technology is evolving rapidly these days. The evolution and innovation of technology has impacted the hospitality industry, as well as the CHTP certification program. In January 2014, a CHTP Task Force took a deep dive and discussed the industry’s concerns, the history of the program, the issues we are faced with today and the future of the program. As a result, the group came up with several recommendations for a revamped CHTP program: • Revised application life period, • Revised conditional credit option/ period, • Revised exam section structure, • Revised sub-section exam structure, • Revised source material and studying process, • Revised number of questions asked on the exam, • New list of competency areas to bring the exam to current times, and • Maintenance plan to keep it relevant going forward. This is just a short list and was a good starting point for the work that has been done since this meeting. Come learn more about the expected changes to the CHTP designation at HFTP Booth #455.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

TECH TRENDS Cloud Services

Cloud PBXs Are Now Viable. Manage Differently. By Ron Tarro

Cloud PBX technology moves attention to SLAs, cloud middleware and normative total cost models

hones durably remain in the guest room. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s less likely that there will be a PBX on the hotel property. Emerging cloud-based PBXs are now carrier grade. Their deployment is being enabled by new, cloud-based hospitality integrations middleware. Most importantly, cloud price points are challenging premise technology. The result is that deployments have accelerated across the hospitality industry. The emergence of cloud PBX technology architectures changes how you assess hotel voice service decisions. The following is what early adopters have learned.

Stop Making Technology Decisions, Make Service Provider Decisions Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re increasingly going to buy cloud services from a service provider, not a technology provider. You will purchase voice services from organizations that manage all aspects of voice. You need an organization that builds voice infrastructure both at the premise and in the cloud. This is a fundamental change. For the last 30 years, the foundation of a hotel voice technology decision was the PBX. That decision weighted decisions about supporting systems like voice mail, auto-attendant, IVR, call accounting and phone devices. Then you purchased professional services that could manage that PBX technology. With cloud PBXs, the PBX technology is no longer the fundamental decision you need to make. You need to assess the cloud service Ron Tarro is president and CEO of SDD, Inc. He can be reached at ron.tarro@sddsystems.com.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Cloud Services itself. You already operate this way. With your mobility decisions, whose technologies are routing your call or delivering your cell phone’s voice message? Did those technology choices affect your cell phone service decision? No they did not.

Shift Your Attention to Service Level Measurements If you don’t care about technology choices, then where should you focus? First, your decisionmaking shifts away from confirming interoperability of best-of-breed technologies. No longer your problem. Instead it must shift toward the development of features operating under a robust set of service level measurements. Strong service level agreements (SLA) are evidence of a strong underlying technology architecture. Pay particular attention to open source platform SLAs where matters of security, high availability and operational support features may have been home grown. Get the SLA right and it will drive changes to architecture that you cannot see. A service provider’s commitment to 99.999 percent up time on the call path says much about the service provider’s architecture. A service provider’s ability to manage quality of service (QOS) all the way to the guest room endpoint also illuminates the architecture. Does a service failover drop all phone calls or is it just a click as you talk? Architecture expresses itself as SLA.

Pay Strategic Attention to Hospitality Cloud-based Middleware If you step back from traditional premise-based voice architectures, you will notice that advancement in voice platforms has been happening in 8+ year cycles. Each cycle requires shared vendor product development priorities, coordinated vendor product development and cross-certifications, CapEx events, and then deployment and re-integration of distributed systems. New entrants and innovators are infrequent. Meanwhile, guest expectations for voice services are driven by

their cell phones. Those expectations change almost daily in both features and price points. This difference in innovation tempo is a guest services problem for your hotels. How do you leverage a cloud PBX solution’s inherent software advantages to provide inexpensive accelerated innovation? The answer is found in some (not all) new cloud PBX architectures. Look for cloud-based hospitality middleware that is distinct from the voice call path technologies. The cloud middleware connects a carrier’s cross industry voice platforms to your hotel systems (and provides the guest features). Your ability to maintain a middleware vendor relationship provides a direct link to innovation by linking guest service strategies to cloud voice.

Establish Normative Total Costs of Ownership Voice services are increasingly an operating expense and less a capital expenditure event. Cloud PBXs operate under software service (SaaS) pricing models. Recurring occupancy-based fees and recurring flat per-room fees structures have emerged. However, these models are only different ways of timing dollars. They are not fundamentally different in their total cost over time. You need to shift analysis away from capital investment and toward comparative long term total costs of ownerships normalized to the scope of the service. Here are a few ways to move in this direction. Bandwidth. Does your cloud PBX solution include bandwidth and carried voice minutes for the premise? Some services can run over the top of your existing bandwidth while maintaining quality of service. Others require purchase of bundled bandwidth. Other providers are also bundling bandwidth and local long distance carried minutes. How many minutes and to what calling jurisdictions? Cloud Software Upgrades. Does your cloud-PBX solution provide all software related upgrades as part of the subscription? Some solutions provide all future software releases

within a subscription. Some provide only bug fixes for the current release. Who pays for installation, test, and cutover of bug and feature upgrades? Redundancy and Failover. Not all failovers are the same. Some solutions don’t provide failover. Others drop all calls and restart. The gold standard is that a component fails and you don’t even know it. How will your solution failover when a technology component or network connection is lost? Service redundancy is either solved by premise and cloud hardware redundancy, or by network redundancy. Or both. How this is solved is a material driver of cost for solutions. Premise Hardware. Who owns the premise hardware, who refreshes the firmware (and how frequently), and who replaces (and pays for) a failed device? If premise hardware is present, require that vendors warrant that the hardware installed on premise is not end of life and is fully capable of supporting feature upgrades, quality of service, security, features and general SLA requirements. Unexpected premise updates can be a hidden cost. Open Source PBX. Open source software is less expensive than proprietary alternatives when creating an initial solution, yet conversely it can be more expensive over time to enhance, secure and operate. This is because changes to proprietary systems can be amortized across a larger base of customers while an open source is customized to your individual service provider. Open source providers in niche industries must be big enough to drive innovation without passing the cost onto you. Here’s how you equalize this problem: compare solutions over a long-term for their incremental costs from software features updates and ongoing compliance to SLA changes (are such advancements included in the service subscription?). Cloud PBX architectures are changing what you manage in voice services. Your attention must shift to SLAs, cloud middleware for sustainable innovation and normative total cost models for voice services.  HITEC 2014 Special Report

TECH TRENDS Bandwidth Management

Exhibitor Sponsored Content

Delivering Connectivity to One of the Largest U.S. Convention Centers

By Monica Compton

How Cox Business outfitted the Las Vegas Convention Center with a robust, technology infrastructure

Photo courtesy of the Las Vegas News Bureau.

hen your venue hosts one of the largest technology trade shows in the country, the bandwidth of your telecommunications services needs to be strong. The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) brings more than 3,200 exhibitors and over 150,000 technology professionals to the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) every January. The need for speed and flawless connectivity for these participants is paramount. Thus began the challenge of finding a telecommunications company who could handle the high demand of the third largest convention center in the U.S. The LVCC’s 2 million sq. ft. of exhibit space allows it to accommodate three of the Top 10 trade shows in the U.S., more Top 10 shows than any other single convention center. The larger the shows, the more bandwidth required to keep attendees online with their businesses. Not to mention that the back of house infrastructure — what the attendees don’t see — has to be just as capable of handling the connectivity of thousands of smartphones, tablets, laptops and every wireless and wired device on the show floor. When Cox Business received the LVCC’s request for proposal (RFP) two years ago, the company knew the stakes were high. And although Cox Business was experienced at providing telecommunications to over 30 major hotel and resort properties in Las Vegas and other areas of

Monica Compton is a writer and event marketing consultant for Pinnacle Productions. She can be reached at mcompton@pinnacleprod.com.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Bandwidth Management

the U.S., the sheer size of the building and breadth of services required could have seemed daunting. “When we received the RFP we had a wide range of experience in service delivery within the convention space,” explains Derrick Hill, vice president of Cox Business/Hospitality Network (HN) in Las Vegas. “The opportunity to provide the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority with analogous telecom services was a challenge we knew we could meet.” After all, Cox Business already had a strong telecommunications foothold in Las Vegas on its own, but also through its entertainment arm HN. Since 1999, Cox Business has been providing wired and wireless data solutions as well HN’s on-demand and interactive television services to the hotel/resort business vertical since 1999. The company currently serves over 110,000 predominantly Las Vegas hotel/resort guest rooms in gaming districts around the country. And this is how Cox Advanced

Convention Services (ACS) came to life. ACS was conceived in 2007 as a startup business under the Hospitality Network brand. With 22,000 meetings and conventions in Las Vegas annually, ACS saw rapid growth by offering wired and wireless services to the convention trade in Southern Nevada. “We’d already been providing Cox services to about 1.2 million sq. ft. of exhibit space in Las Vegas and some other areas,” says Christy Raivio, ACS manager for Cox Business in Las Vegas. “One of the main reasons we were able to move forward so confidently with the Las Vegas Convention Center business opportunity was the technical, customer-facing and back office know-how we gained through ACS,” she said. The technology infrastructure currently being worked on at the Las Vegas Convention Center will provide major improvements for all visitors to the venue, from better cellular connections and an industry leading Wi-Fi canopy, to the fastest

wired Internet speeds in the convention industry. For the next seven and possibly 10 years, it will be Cox Business/Hospitality Network providing technology to about 60 of the world’s largest 250 conventions/ trade shows that take up temporary residence at the convention center in Las Vegas each year. “The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is committed to staying ahead of our competition and maintaining Las Vegas’ status as the number one trade show destination in North America,” said Terry Jicinsky, senior vice president of operations for the LVCVA. “We’re excited to be working with Cox Business to offer our trade show partners and their exhibitors and delegates the latest technology and exceptional customer service that helps them improve their business and tradeshow experience.”

Moving forward In late-September last year, Cox Business/Hospitality Network rolled out a thick technology carpet at the

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Bandwidth Management

LVCC that included wired high-speed Internet networking services and equipment, wired voice services, private network options, advanced Wi-Fi based wireless Internet services and TV, as well as a 10-gigabit, diverse redundant fiber backbone. Under the contract, Cox Business is also providing its technology services to the LVCC’s back of house and public areas, as well as the Cashman Center meeting facility. The total investment is expected to top $9 million. Since work began, Cox Business engineers have already more than doubled the number of routers and switches at the convention center and increased Wi-Fi access points. This allowed for some extremely heavy lifting during CES in January where Cox saw simultaneous usage peak at 11,500 users and a total unique user

By The Numbers 2 million sq. ft.

Amount of exhibit space at the Las Vegas Convention Center

National ranking of the Las Vegas Convention Center by size

count reach 73,000 during the show. Using its newly built Wi-Fi infrastructure, Cox Business delivered cellular offload of data onto the Wi-Fi network of 155 Mbps of data at CES. “At some point later this year, we’ll have over 2,000 Wi-Fi access points in place based on the 802.11AC standard and these could potentially allow Wi-Fi at multiples of today’s speeds,” said John Fountain, director of network technology for Cox Business/Hospitality Network in Las Vegas. Fountain is leading the design team responsible for mapping and installing the convention center space with the upgraded Cox technologies. When Cox Business/Hospitality Network completes its build-out of the Las Vegas Convention Center,

it will also include a state-of-theart interior 3G/4G cellular Distributed Antenna System (DAS) designed to improve cellular telephone capabilities from deep within the cement and steel superstructure of the convention center facility. Work on that system is scheduled to be completed around mid-2014. “We are extremely proud to help Las Vegas shine as one of the world’s preeminent destinations for the meetings and conventions industry.” says Mike Bolognini, market vice president for Cox Las Vegas. “Cox engineers, designers and customer service representatives who are engaged with the Las Vegas Convention Center are equally as proud to be associated with such an important brand.” 

Number of conventions/trade shows during 2013 at the Las Vegas Convention Center

1.2 million sq. ft.

Amount of total exhibit space served by Cox Business at hotels/resorts

3.2 million sq. ft.

Number of trade shows with Cox Business-provided technology at the Las Vegas Convention Center during 2013

$9 million

Investment Cox Business will make at the Las Vegas Convention Center

Amount of total space served by Cox at the Las Vegas Convention Center

During the RFP process two items that were of the greatest import and ended up being the reasons Cox was chosen were: Firstly, the financial strength and investment Cox was willing to make to ensure the Las Vegas Convention Center maintained a leadership position in the convention industry. Secondly, and related, was the a cutting edge technology plan that was holistic in its approach and forward looking. The technology infrastructure currently being worked on at the Las Vegas Convention Center will provide major improvements for all visitors to the venue, from better cellular connections, an industry leading Wi-Fi canopy and the fastest wired Internet speeds in the convention industry.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Exhibitor Sponsored Content

Distribution Entertainment TECH TRENDS In-room

Advanced HD Solution Brings an Array of Guest Room Entertainment Options By Monica Compton

New solution offers digital quality and sound, as well as channel flexibility for individual hotel locations

hether your guests are traveling alone or with family, creating an in-room telecommunications experience that models the comfort and ease of their home can be a challenge. Gone are the days when guests are satisfied with network channels and a standard cable package. Replicating the multitude of entertainment selections and the digital HD quality of their home televisions can be a daunting proposition in and of itself, but the hotel environment has some unique challenges of video delivery. Cox Business saw this need to bring a significantly better TV viewing experience into the hotel guest room and is responding with the next generation of HD service designed with hotelier needs in mind. “Hoteliers have a wide variety of in-room video options today. Ultimately, all decisions are made with reliability, features, overhead and cost in mind,” says Eric Roberts, senior product manager for Cox Business. “We think the new advanced HD product hits the sweet spot for hoteliers.” Scheduled to start trialing next month, Cox Business’ advanced HD solution will bring 100 percent digital quality and sound to each guest room TV. The channel package is flexible as well and can be changed for each hotel’s location, regardless if they are the same brand. “If Property X wants ESPN on channel 11 and Property Y in the same city wants it on channel 25, we

Monica Compton is a writer and event marketing consultant for Pinnacle Productions. She can be reached at mcompton@pinnacleprod.com.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

In-room Entertainment

“If Property X wants ESPN on channel 11 and Property Y in the same city wants it on channel 25, we can do that,” says Eric Roberts, senior product manager for Cox Business. “If you want to remove some channels that are shown in the lobby, we can create a custom lineup for that for use within your hotel.”

can do that,” Roberts says. “If you want to remove some channels that are shown in the lobby, we can create a custom lineup for that for use within your hotel.” Where before Cox Business’ HD Free-to-Guest service provided a couple dozen channels, the new product offers package options to deliver hundreds of channels and full access to the multiplex channels associated with premium movie channel subscriptions. “Instead of delivering ‘bulk TV service’ with a sprinkling of HD channels, we are bringing an elegant solution offering a host of linear TV options with a sophisticated user interface,” says Jennifer Richardson, senior product manager, business TV and hospitality services for Cox Business.“The solution also brings

HITEC 2014 Special Report

options for hotel employees to assist guests with their in-room TV preferences.” The HD equipment is concealed behind the TV and out of the guest’s view. Other than the in-room box, no additional equipment is needed at the hotel. There is also an online portal tool which enables the front desk to immediately assess the status of the equipment and make adjustments to the guest’s experience as necessary. Other product features include a customizable interactive program guide with the hotel’s logo and chosen background integrated into the interface to promote the brand of the hotel. Another unique aspect of the product is the remote control. Although technology has improved television viewing, the remote

control for some units has become so confusing, it’s difficult to know how to turn on the TV. Cox Business will leverage a simplified remote control so that users can quickly find the program they want to watch. And, the remote even has an anti-microbial coating. The initial launch will showcase the robust HD channel options and user experience customization elements. The infrastructure leaves room for feature enhancements down the road such as the ability to pause live TV and on-demand content. “The hotel industry is an important part of our customer base,” Richardson says. “In revisiting our hospitality HD portfolio and launching this new generation solution, we are accommodating the everevolving needs of the industry; we are offering solutions specifically built for hotels.” And it’s not just TV service that Cox Business offers. Their Internet, managed Wi-Fi and voice services offer a complete solution for the hotel guest room and other areas of the property. “We understand the needs of the hotel and the needs of their guests,” Roberts says. “We act as the hotel’s partner in bringing all the telecommunications comforts of home into the guest room.” 

Distribution Security TECH TRENDS Data

Unencrypted Data: A Security Plague By Gary Glover, CISSP, CISA, QSA, PA-QSA

Availability of unprotected payment data can be reduced with card discovery tools and a concentrated effort

have a few major concerns for payment security at the hospitality level, such as remote access vulnerabilities and wireless insecurity, but nothing compares to the anxiety I feel about the widespread storage of unencrypted payment card data. Unencrypted payment card data is the information on a credit/debit card (16-digit account number, service code, cardholder expiration date, etc.) that criminals use to fraudulently duplicate customer payment cards. According to 2014 PANscan速 data, 63 percent of businesses store unencrypted payment card data, which is 100 percent against the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). In addition to finance and retail, hospitality is one of the top three industries hackers target for unencrypted card data. If hackers manage to compromise a network, they look for something easy to steal. Because it exists in an unprotected state, unencrypted payment card data is relatively simple for a hacker to detect, scoop up and steal.

Even With its Short History, Card Discovery Has Come a Long Way Whether because of recent PCI DSS emphasis, or because of recent highprofile compromises, more organizations are concerned with payment security. The current trend, and most effective way to identify this dangerous unencrypted information is to use a card discovery tool. Depending on the vendor, these inexpensive (someGary Glover CISSP, CISA, QSA, PA-QSA is QSA director for SecurityMetrics and has completed hundreds of PCI DSS, PABP and PA-DSS security audits. He can be reached at gglover@securitymetrics.com.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Data Security

Once businesses begin implementing Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE) card processing solutions, we should see a dramatic reduction in unencrypted card data. P2PE encrypts card information immediately upon a customer’s swipe or dip, so there is no chance of stored, unencrypted data. Unfortunately, P2PE does nothing for storage of unencrypted data outside of the payment environment.

times free) software tools alert users on the location of discovered card data so it can be securely deleted. Many tools are advanced enough to look through improperly deleted files and restored computer backups. The life of payment card discovery software began with commandline interface, only accessible by those who knew regular expression search notation (like a search formula). Used by forensic investigators and security hobbyists, it wasn’t until recently that this type of data search software got a user-friendly face-lift and really took off. Over the past few years, this software has evolved to scan quicker, find cards easier and diminish system overload. For example, some card tools use delimiter scanning to exclude 16-digit strings with special or alpha characters, which enables scans to run faster. One limitation of card data software is that its reach does not extend to physical card data storage. I know many hotels that scan, print and keep customer credit cards in big binders in the office for easy and recurring room reservations. Even though it’s not electronic, storing cards in this manner is still very much against the PCI DSS, if not properly secured or masked.

Storing Accidentally vs. On Purpose If I could give a short-term goal to the hospitality industry, it would be to find and securely delete the im-

HITEC 2014 Special Report

properly secured card data residing in back-office spreadsheets, property management and point-of-sale (POS) systems. Unlike encrypted data that is saved on purpose for charge reversals or recurring payments, some property management and POS systems accidentally store unencrypted data due to hardware/ software misconfiguration. I conducted a resort audit recently and found 1.2 million (that’s right, million) records of unencrypted card data. The resort managers were shocked at the liability those 1.2 million cards represented. Usually, large amounts of stored numbers occur because of errors in hardware or software set up. Spreadsheets filled with card numbers are also prohibited, but more easily addressable. While property management or POS software often requires complex configuration changes, purposeful storage of data in spreadsheets or text files merely requires a new process and employee training. I regularly find thousands of unencrypted credit cards in spreadsheets in the accounting and guest/owner services departments. Even though thousands of cards are at risk, all management has to do is securely delete the spreadsheet and conduct employee training to ensure it doesn’t occur again.

Future Elimination of Stored, Unencrypted Card Data The trend of unencrypted card data

is extremely similar to other security issues I see in hospitality. Whether it’s default passwords, remote access vulnerabilities, wireless insecurity or unencrypted card data, people are simply unaware of simple security blunders that considerably increase business liability. In most cases, owners and managers don’t blatantly ignore security requirements. They just don’t know about them, and their software or IT teams are so busy supporting normal business functions that they also fail to catch problems. Ultimately, a lack of simple security understanding is a key reason unencrypted card data remains so pervasive. Down the road, I hope to see card data discovery tools used in everyday business security. The upcoming EMV mandate required by Visa and MasterCard requires all businesses to implement EMV-enabled payment solutions. Although EMV will help reduce other security-related issues, it is not designed to alleviate unencrypted card storage issues. EMV systems still need access to the unencrypted credit card data during the dip or swipe process, which means there is an opportunity for misconfigured software to inadvertently capture and store unprotected data. However, once businesses begin implementing Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE) card processing solutions, we should see a dramatic reduction in unencrypted card data. P2PE encrypts card information immediately upon a customer’s swipe or dip, so there is no chance of stored, unencrypted data. Unfortunately, P2PE does nothing for storage of unencrypted data outside of the payment environment (e.g., spreadsheets created in the back office). I don’t believe unencrypted card data will ever go away completely, but hope to find fewer instances in the future. 

Analytic Strategies TECH TRENDS Distribution

Dedicated Analytics Resources Protect Electronic Assets By Shawn Clark

Shifting to a data driven culture maximizes asset protection and innovation

et’s face it, consumer technology is moving at light speed. In seconds, billions of consumers are making purchasing decisions based on loyalty, social influencer reviews, likes, dislikes or the newest hipster marketing campaign. Customers want easy access to products and services while expecting companies to know what they like — and the ability to buy any time anywhere, online, in an instant. There’s no doubt, what’s hot today may be worthless tomorrow. Chief marketing, sales and information officers recognize that to survive, they must adapt and change. They invest heavily in advanced data warehouse technologies and infrastructure. Their dedicated analytics teams are deployed to uncover valuable business intelligence, gain a deeper understanding of product sales trends and provide a holistic view of customer behavior. Deep analysis of customer behavior can yield actionable intelligence to enhance, refine and reinvent product offerings. Analytics tells us which of these offerings socially informed customers have a higher propensity to purchase, resulting in increased sales and marketing performance. For this reason hospitality leaders rely on sales and marketing analytics. They race to refine and reinvent product offerings. Yet they fail to deploy dedicated analytics resources and strategies to protect electronic assets. In today’s socially connected

Shawn Clark is president of Clark Consulting Group, LLC which focuses on developing business security strategies. He can be reached at sclark@clarkconsultinggrp.com.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Analytic Strategies

world, the mere perception of an inadequate security posture can violate consumer trust, dilute product value and irrevocably tarnish the corporate brand and image. To enhance protection, hospitality leaders must adopt data driven solutions. Needed are analytics strategies to proactively detect fraud and often more costly, bad business exposures.

The Gap Hospitality security programs focus heavily on traditional security disciplines such as facilities, employee and customer protection — and with good reason. Geopolitical, socioeconomic and terrorism events test security programs daily. If customers don’t feel safe, the property and potentially the brand could be doomed for failure. To maximize protection, chief auditors and chief security officers — like their CIO and CMO counterparts — must change and proactively adapt to electronic threats. Adopting a data driven culture and deploying fraud analytics strategies will enhance protection, uncover valuable intelligence, discern trends and provide a holistic view of fraudulent and bad business behavior. Overseeing global operations puts an incredible drain on resources and limits the ability for hospitality security and audit teams to focus on new technologies, let alone analytics and innovation. Many hospitality security and audit departments still rely on tips, complaints or the geopolitical event of the day to determine where to focus departmental resources. Certainly insights can be gained by this approach; however, without a dedicated, data-focused team, innovation and new discoveries are often overlooked.

The Foundation: A Data Driven Culture I have been fortunate to lead and be a part of teams that deploy analytics

HITEC 2014 Special Report

strategies. We experience phenomenal results, saving millions of dollars and achieving ROI up to 100 percent. With each deployment news exposures, such as a multi-million dollar e-commerce attack, are discovered. The savings, ROI and new discoveries didn’t happen because they had “a guy.” Nor did they invest in a magical analytics tool that plugged in, turned on and produced a report. There is no one tool that tells them where to look and where the greatest exposures are. These results are achieved because the companies and teams were not afraid to change. They adopted a data driven culture. In my experience a data driven culture consists of the following basic elements: Executive buy in — not required, but it’s certainly nice to have. It always helps when your CEO understands and is willing to invest in technology. A robust technology team — don’t sell yourself short here. Plan on your data landscape growing with new sales and marketing programs and technologies. Easily accessible data — practice data governance up front. With sound architecture, secure and normalized data, analytical answers are efficiently realized. A dedicated analytics team — create an analytics team focused on finding enterprise fraud and bad business practices. If you don’t, you’re relying on “the guy” or the already overburdened technology department. The freedom to explore — If you think it has value, whether fraud or bad business, go for it. This freedom to test and develop theories and ideas gives birth to new innovation and uncovers fraud and bad business exposures.

The Strategy: Fraud Analytics Fraud analytics is the proactive

detection of previously undetectable fraud and bad business practices through data analysis and profile development. Deploying a fraud analytics strategy using your company’s existing data sources is a great place to start. If your security or audit department is still operating in the exception report, data dark ages without a team dedicated to enterprise fraud analytics, it’s never too late to change. To deploy a fraud analytics strategy, you must have a team — not just “a guy.” The team is dedicated to finding global fraud and bad business exposures. That’s right, you won’t be one-dimensional anymore looking exclusively for fraud. Use analytics to find costly bad business practices too. The analytics team will investigate, perform analysis to determine global exposure and work with stakeholders to mitigate the issue. They will work with technology to develop compliance solutions to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Innovation: Finding the Needle What’s your company’s greatest exposure? You probably haven’t found it yet. It starts as an idea, or something seen during analysis that doesn’t make sense. It might be fraud or bad business. You won’t be sure until you load a small subset of new data or join tables from five different data marts to test and prove your theory. This leave-no-holisticstone-unturned philosophy is how innovation is driven and powers fraud analytics. In my experience, companies that adopt a data driven culture and deploy a fraud analytics strategy gain new analytics insights. They identify previously undetectable fraud and bad business practices. These companies possess the ultimate analytics prize — identify unknown exposures and mitigate them. 

Distribution Strategies TECH TRENDS Analytic

Big Questions Around Big Data By Lisa Apolinski

How hotels can manage big data effectively, and ultimately use it to improve the customer experience

ou may have heard the term "big data" and wondered what that could mean, both the definition and the impact on the hotel industry. It may sound intimidating, but big data is something that can help you engage more fully with your customer base. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take a moment to understand big data, how hotels can manage data effectively, and ultimately use it to improve the customer experience.

Understanding the Buzz Big data is a buzzword to describe a large quantity of non-structured or non-integrated data pieces. It can refer to the volume of data, and also the organization of the data and bringing the data together to be processed and analyzed. While systems, and companies, are getting more sophisticated with their analysis of this data (think Amazon, Target and Google), companies of any size can use data to help understand their customer base.

Getting Organized The first order of business is to look at the data you have and how it is stored. If your data is not organized and clean, you will not be able to process it and have usable results. Look at a few key data points and make sure those fields are accurate, up-to-date and stored in a way that makes reporting easy. These data points can be the geo-location of a customer, week of year of travel, type of room requested, as examples. Starting with a few key data points Lisa Apolinski is founder of 3 Dog Write Inc., a digital marketing strategy firm. She can be reached at lisa@3dogwrite.com.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Analytic Strategies

An easy place to start is the point of entry for your prospect, which can be an e-mail, web page or even a Facebook ad. If the call to action is to visit a specific web page, review the traffic patterns to that page during that time frame. Did you see an increase and where did the traffic go after that page (did they move through the site or bounce out, and was that an expected behavior)?

can still give you some insight. As you process these points, see what questions come up and add in new points into your data set to find the answers. If there is a pattern around weeks of travel, for example, further review can show if it is associated with a holiday, conference, or life event such as a wedding or honeymoon, etc. As more patterns emerge, you will be seeing valuable insight into your clientele.

Housing Parameters How you house your data will also be a factor in how accessible your data is to analyze. Systems need to be able to connect and share data, otherwise you will be trying to do analysis in silos, which can certainly affect the accuracy of your analysis. Also, think beyond just the customer database. Important data on customer behavior can be found in other

HITEC 2014 Special Report

channels, such as social media, web site, event apps, blog posts, e-mail, etc. Are you reviewing the entire booking experience (pre, during and post) as pieces of digital data, and how are you linking those pieces of data to understand your customer? Again, you can begin with specific pieces of data, but it is important to track their path. An easy place to start is the point of entry for your prospect, which can be an e-mail, web page or even a Facebook ad. If the call to action is to visit a specific web page, review the traffic patterns to that page during that time frame. Did you see an increase and where did the traffic go after that page (did they move through the site or bounce out, and was that an expected behavior)?

Make it Authentic So you have some interesting insight

into your customer base, but now what? Once you have a better understanding of your customer, you can use the data to help create a better and more genuine experience. If the insight shows an uptick in room registration around a conference in town, perhaps an e-mail blast can be developed that highlights some restaurant choices within walking distance to the hotel (making the assumption that the people attending will be not only from out of town, but most likely without a car). If there is a high bounce rate for a form on a web page, the form can be checked to see if the fields are working and that it is mobile-optimized. If traffic is being directed to a video, and very few people are watching it all the way through, testing can be done to see if shortening the video engages the prospect more effectively. Data can also be a simple as tracking a housekeeping request with a regular visitor. If a customer always requests extra pillows during their stay, use that data point and have extra pillows already in the room upon arrival. The hotel industry provides an interesting situation for the client: there is potential for something to go well, and wrong, with both their digital experience and their physical one. Your data is a powerful tool. It can make the difference between an average experience and one that stands out, and that is big. ď&#x201A;

TECH TRENDS Analytic Strategies

The Business Intelligence Boom By Bonnie Buckhiester

A much higher degree of technology integration is necessary to ensure revenue management teams do not miss opportunities to manage demand optimally

s a revenue management specialist I am constantly reevaluating data sources and data sets. Long gone are the days of relying solely on market share reports, competitive rate shopping tools, and internal metrics to gauge performance and guide decisionmaking. Today, strategic oversight of the revenue management effort involves complex data sets from a multitude of sources. And to make sense of this “big data,” end users must take a highly structured and efficient approach to data gathering with the aim of interpreting and presenting this data in a clear and concise manner.

A Higher Degree of Integration To accomplish this, a much higher degree of technology integration is required; only in this manner can hotels ensure they do not miss opportunities to manage demand optimally. The lack of comprehensive technology integration is a key part of this challenge, a problem that is growing daily as new data sets come into play. Even today hotels operate without interfaces between property management and sales/catering systems because the interface costs are high. But the true cost of the inefficiency is never measured and the old adage of “what we don’t measure, we don’t manage” certainly applies in this case. Until such time as hotels fully identify and acknowledge lost revenue that is a direct result of misinterpreting the signs of Bonnie Buckhiester is president and CEO of Buckhiester Management, Ltd., a revenue management consulting firm specializing in the hospitality industry. She can be reached at bonnie@buckhiester.com.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Analytic Strategies

Optimally Managing Demand Optimal Results Demand Creation

(Marketing)

Demand Capture (Sales)

Demand Management

(Revenue Mgmt.)

shifting market conditions, signs that might have been read with the help of big data, the industry is not likely to address these issues. The problem is there is a high cost to integration, and in a cost-obsessed industry this only exacerbates the situation. The hospitality industry has long suffered from the negative affects of working in silos, but today the dangers are amplified. Traditionally, the revenue generation roles have been defined as marketing, sales and revenue management, but these terms are obsolete. More precise descriptions are demand creation, demand capture and demand management; and it’s only when these roles fully converge that a hotel is in a position to optimally manage demand. The graphic above depicts the convergence of these disciplines. For each of these disciplines there are a growing number of business intelligence data sets that must be taken into account to interpret the “demand continuum.” Imagine if you will, several integrated dashboards that gather and organize key performance indicators (KPIs) in such a manner as to enable revenue teams to evaluate demand conditions from a number of converging perspectives. These KPIs can be divided into six broad categories:

HITEC 2014 Special Report

1. Macro Demand Influencers. These are broad-based, overriding factors that are largely outside the control of hotel operators, but dramatically influence the rise and fall of demand. 2. Leading Demand Indicators. These KPIs are direct and conclusive indicators of demand 3. Competitive Impact Factors. These factors relate directly to the competitive marketplace and include two perspectives: those from the competitive set and those from consumer reviews 4. Marketing and Public Relations Performance Indicators. These data sets include results from a multitude of marketing and PR initiatives. 5. Social Media Performance Metrics. These metrics represent the newest indicators of consumer sentiment and engagement. 6. Internal Performance Metrics. These measurements are the most familiar to hoteliers and now reach beyond traditional forms of metrics to include a “total revenue management” perspective, i.e. all revenue streams evaluated to the profit ratio level. You’ll notice that internal metrics are listed last. This is intentional. Too often hotels focus attention on the isolated performance of their own property rather than the forces and factors that impact that performance. This type of myopic attention makes it less likely to see the inevitable shifting of market conditions in time to make informed adjustments to strategies. However, if hoteliers will broaden the scope of key performance indicators and examine these metrics in tandem, the likelihood of deploying optimal demand strategies and tactics is far greater. Consider the examples of key impact factors listed in the table on page 53. If these metrics could be gathered in such a manner as to make decision

making smooth, efficient and effective, imagine the impact. If a revenue team convenes and determines that call volumes and Web visits are down year-over-year, and sets about to identify just how many calls are required at current conversion ratios and lengths of stay to produce the desired room nights, then the marketing team has specific targets to reach. If competitive research indicates that a hotel’s social media effort is losing share, then marketing and sales can make informed decisions to improve customer engagement. In another example, if the revenue manager carefully tracks production statistics for each and every package and promotion, marketing can fully evaluate the return on investment (ROI) of that initiative. The key, of course, to all these assessments is the ability to make these decisions based on empirical data not anecdotal observations. However, at present a revenue team must awkwardly examine multiple systems and data sources to collect, organize and eventually interpret trends.

The Value of Integration Technology professionals have worked endlessly to provide intelligent, highly efficient hardware and software to meet the needs of the hospitality industry. Yet hotel operators are often reluctant to invest in new technology. In the same manner that the traditional marketing, sales and revenue management disciplines must evolve and converge into a single demand continuum, so must operators evolve and accept the reality that big data is here to stay and growing exponentially. And the larger it grows the more disconnected our systems become. So there are two distinct areas of responsibility here. The first is for the technology companies to make integration easy and affordable. Many have done this already

Analytic Strategies

Key Performance Indicators Internal Performance Metrics

Leading Indicators

Marketing & Public Relations

• Occupancy, average rate, RevPAR, and total revenue (to budget, to forecast, to last year)

• Call volumes

• Marketing ROIs

• Web visits (total, unique, etc.)

• PR ROIs

• Unconstrained demand forecast

• Web referrals

• Regrets and denials

• Web conversion ratios

• Revenue forecast

• Paid search results

• Booking pace by market segment

• Web engagement ratios

• Revenue per reservation

• E-mail acquisitions

• Production statistics (packages, promotions, events, etc.)

• Results by e-mail initiative

• Call center abandon ratios

• Call tracking by 800 number

• Forecast accuracy • Total guest spend per occupied room, per available room • Call conversion ratios • Forecast accuracy • Total spend by market segment • Up-sell revenue • F&B outlet and catering revenues per occupied room; covers • Guest capture ratios for golf, spa activities • Length of stay • Upgrade statistics (number and value of room nights consumed in room types for which the guest has not paid) Data Sources: Property management, golf, spa, point of sale, sales/catering and central reservation systems; forecasting tools

Demand Influencers • Economic climate • Airlift • Currency exchange • Air fares • Air passenger arrivals • Weather conditions (ex. snowfall for ski resorts)

Data Sources: Automated call distribution, property management, global distribution, central reservations, sales and catering, and revenue management systems; Google analytics; guest engagement software

• Customer retention • Digital display media results Data Sources: Marketing automation tools and Google Analytics

Social Media Competitive Environment

• Tripadvisor rating

• Market share

• Value index ratio*

• Rate shopping

• New reviews and ranking

• Comparative offers (packages, promotions, etc.)

• Google+ rating

• Market share index balance

• Twitter followers and re-tweets

• Peer review scores and rankings

• YouTube subscribers and views

• Channel share

• Pinterest followers

• Fair-share forecast

I• Instagram followers

Data Sources: Market share reports, rate shopping tools, reputation management software and online travel agency reports

• App.com metrics (proprietary apps)

• Facebook likes

Data Sources: Tripadvisor dashboard and other social media dashboards; app statistics

• Tourist authority statistics Data Sources: Government, industry and tourism reports; central banks, airlines, weather services

with open APIs and open minds. But hoteliers must also have open minds. And the best way for a cost-obsessed industry to measure the value of integration is to start honestly calculating the money being left on the table. Comprehensive data sets that are fully integrated for use by

* Value index = the value score in Tripadvisor reviews expressed as an index against the competitive set — much like a market share index.

hotel general managers and revenue teams are the answer to optimizing demand, whatever that demand may be. There is a saying that “what goes up, must come down,” and surely up and down demand cycles are inevitable. But to answer the question “who must come to the rescue?,” the

answer is a fully collaborative effort from hotel operators and technology professionals, with the emphasis on the operators. If operators have the political and financial will to conduct business in a fully integrated environment, it will happen and they will come to their own rescue 

HITEC 2014 Special Report

TECH TRENDS Digital Marketing

Digital Content: A Hotel Marketer's Dream? A By Lori Fitzgerald

Digital outlets provide inexpensive, broad reach; but is it to the detriment of your overall marketing efforts?

h, the beauty of the digital world: So much more reach for your marketing dollar than traditional media and now your message is everywhere. Technology provides marketers with tremendous opportunities. With consumer attention spans shorter than ever and media options and consumption more fragmented than ever, digital content allows us to spread our message to more places, to more people, with more precise targeting and at a lower cost than ever before. But as with anything else, there is a tradeoff. The new technology has also resulted in a new web of work in order to maintain and monitor content. More importantly, how does todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marketer insure that their brands are consistently represented in all of the places that they appear? Is brand integrity intact? Currently there are no tools that allow marketers to seamlessly update and monitor content across all of the multiple digital platforms that are used daily. We must update content we own â&#x20AC;&#x201D; web sites, mobile sites, social media and e-marketing. We also need to monitor content that is beyond our control such as partner sites, online travel agents, review sites, etc., where users post content and photos that we might otherwise not choose to use. Here are a few questions that marketers find themselves wondering on a daily basis.

Lori Fitzgerald is director of marketing and brand management at High Peaks Resort in Lake Placid, N.Y. She can be reached at lfitzgerald@highpeaksresort.com

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Digital Marketing

Why can’t our mobile sites update simultaneously with our desktop site updates? Responsive sites have begun to address that issue, but many of us don’t have the budget to create new sites that keep pace with the available technology every year. So, in the meantime, we will need to update our desktop site and our mobile site independently, doubling our work.

How do you manage all of the online listings? The more sites you list your business on, the better your SEO and the increased chance of being found by your customers. Great, but how do you track it all? What about sites that scrape content from other sources — how do you know when they do it, how do you manage where they scrape from, who do you ask to update or make changes? Often you are not aware that it’s happened until there is a problem, in which case we are left scrambling to find the source and regain control of the brand message. TripAdvisor is the market leader for hotel reviews and can’t be ignored, but what about the dozens of others? Yes, shares and reviews on Google+ help with search, but if users aren’t there, how much time and effort should be focused here? Do we need to be more vigilant about Yelp? FourSquare? Facebook? What’s the right mix of monitoring and responding? And finally, how does all of this social media activity complement or create redundancy to our own post-departure guest surveys?

Time spent managing content is time not spent on other, more strategic issues which may have a long term impact on the direction of our marketing efforts and your brand. So, in the end, the inexpensive nature of digital content is offset by the resources necessary to manage and maintain it. And, this phenomenon will only continue to expand and grow as new channels are created.

How many social media channels should be used? How do we monitor daily posts to those channels? Reputation management software has made monitoring somewhat simpler, but not all social channels are tracked by a single reputation management solution. Similarly, this software allows posting to multiple channels simultaneously (Facebook and Twitter, primarily), but not necessarily all of the ones you may be active on. The old fashioned Google alert is helpful, but lags, resulting in delays to posting until well after the fact when immediate responses would be more helpful. Where to focus? Whew! With all of that said, marketers have to ask themselves, what platforms do I really have to be on and which can I ignore? What are the risks of not claiming your business and thus not concerning yourself with the content on that site? The risk is that someone else will determine your message for you — confusing consumers and potentially damaging your brand. But, can you be in all of these places and still be effective?

How far can we reach? The reality is that we need to be in as many places as possible in order to get noticed and ultimately purchased. This means that marketers are forced to spend more time and resources tracking and managing content either with outside partners and consultants or by adding to their teams. Time spent managing content is time not spent on other, more strategic issues which may have a long term impact on the direction of our marketing efforts and your brand. So, in the end, the inexpensive nature of digital content is offset by the resources necessary to manage and maintain it. And, this phenomenon will only continue to expand and grow as new channels are created. The upside to all of this is the increasing ability to directly track results from your digital marketing, allowing you to determine reach and ROI more effectively. This is tremendously helpful as we ask our bosses for ever-expanding budgets to keep pace with the gifts that digital content gives to us. We can dream, anyway. 

HITEC 2014 Special Report

TECH TRENDS SEO Strategy

Four Google Trends that Reveal the Future of SEO G By Andrew Garberson

Google focuses on local, mobile and social in 2014 — you should, too

oogle introduces a new animal and everybody panics. It has become the familiar, yet unfortunate, relationship that many have with search engine optimization (SEO). When the search leader introduced its new algorithm, Hummingbird, in September 2013, there was an industrial sigh from marketers who spent years optimizing web sites for the old one. But Google does not wait for search marketers to catch up. The next day Google used its new algorithm to answer about 6 billion questions, roughly a billion more per day than it did two years prior. That undeniable opportunity is why SEO cannot be abandoned — even on the hard days. Instead, it must be embraced, especially by marketers in the hospitality industry. To shorten that learning curve, and get the HITEC community thinking about where SEO will be tomorrow rather than where it is today, this article identifies several Google trends for 2014 that reveal the future of SEO.

Search Results Yield More Info More information in the search results is already one of the big trends of 2014. It was not long ago that a Google search for “Pittsburgh Pirates” would generate a list of 10 baseball web sites. Now we see upcoming games, current rosters, club history and recent articles. It is all right there in the search results with no extra clicks necessary. Andrew Garberson is the SEO lead at LunaMetrics. His inbound marketing and public relations background includes project management experience in entrepreneurial, nonprofit and agency environments. He can be reached at garberson@lunametrics.com.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

SEO Strategy

Expect that trend to continue, and not just with professional sports. Through structured markup initiatives and incentives, Google has become more adept at understanding the content on a page. It sees topics rather than keywords and brands instead of websites. Tip for 2014: Use the free tools that Google offers to present more information about your brand, including Google+ Local and Google Webmaster Tools.

Search Results Yield More Information

The Evolution of Local Searches Localized search has evolved dramatically over the past five years. It began with a focus on keywords, presenting different results for “lawn service Des Moines” than for “lawn service Ft. Myers.” The keyword became less important once Google could determine a region with IP addresses. Now, Google Maps can use a GPS location to cull Google Maps listings around the user for hyperlocal results. The familiar challenge is to appear in that localized group of results. In addition to optimizing a Google+ page, there has been a renewed conversation about directories, like Yelp. If you did a search for French restaurants you would notice how well Urbanspoon.com and Yelp. com rank in this query. Smart local marketers are using something called barnacle SEO, in which brands piggyback on strong directories to appear higher in the results and occupy a greater share of voice. Tip for 2014: Use local tools (like Google+ Local) and national directories (like Yelp) to claim extra real estate in the search results.

The Rise of Mobile Search Mobile search has been projected by Google to surpass desktop search this year, reaffirming the value (and blossoming necessity) of mobilefriendly web sites. Expect the grace

It was not long ago that a Google search for “Pittsburgh Pirates” would generate a list of 10 baseball web sites. Now we see upcoming games, current rosters, club history and recent articles.

that users give non-mobile web sites to dwindle as responsive design becomes a standard instead of a luxury. Responsive design is recommended by Google because it allows web sites to react and adapt to any screen size — no more pinching on the tablet screen to zoom in or out. Responsive design also eliminates the guess work for search engines. Instead of sorting through mobile subdirectories (like m.website.com) or separate mobile sites (like mobile-website. com), Google can send all traffic to one destination. Making the process easier and faster for Google and the search leader will promote you, or at least refrain from demoting you. Tip for 2014: Assess current mobile traffic and design an experience that users and search engines will enjoy.

Social Search Equals Personalization Social search allows greater personalization because search results can be tailored to the user. The results

that I see are different than yours. For example, I perform a search for “Central African Republic.” A UNICEF result with the familiar blue local appears halfway down the page because I follow the organization’s Google+ page. UNICEF shared an article related to my search query so Google adds it to my search results. Consider the incredible power that offers to the hospitality industry, whether it be for product, service or location search queries. Tip for 2014: Take advantage of personalized search results by expanding Google+ networks and sharing content.

Know Where Google is Headed Google is not as scary when you understand where it is going and why. These 2014 trends will help you to position your company for search marketing success and avoid panic when Google announces Porcupine, Fox or Chameleon. 

HITEC 2014 Special Report

TECH TRENDS Future Technology

The Internet of Things By Tamara Gaffney

New devices such as tech eyeware and fitness bands create a new avenue for reaching guests

f you haven’t heard of the “internet of things” yet, you’re about to get another shock. Keeping up with technology has hotel industry executives frazzled already. It’s about to become exponentially more complicated as Bluetooth, Apple iBeacons, wearable tech and hundreds of millions of smartphones collide in what I believe will be the next big supernova to impact this industry. As usual, with any digital disruption there will be winners and losers, and those businesses that adapt most readily will pull away from the pack. The Internet of Things, which seems so nascent right now, will transform business models and provide entirely new categories of businesses within five years. Hotel industry strategists and marketers will be well served by examining and discussing the future impact to their businesses, in order to avoid the flat footed response that many had to with mobile and social shifts.

Fitness bands will become the “cookie” of the offline world. According to USA Today, sales of wearable devices are up nearly 2,000 percent, largely driven by the fitness category. With just a quick glance around the Salt Lake City Airport boarding gate B3 this morning I found five FitBit™ fitness bands wrapped around the wrist of business travelers and they were all headed for one of your hotels. Perhaps you Tamara Gaffney is principal analyst for Adobe Digital Index. Follow her @Tamarag and @AdobeIndex.

HITEC 2014 Special Report

Future Technology

think that this is a little niche product with a narrow use case, so it really won’t alter your marketing plans right? Wrong. First consider how the rapid adoption of the fitness band demonstrates how quickly these sensor devices came out of nowhere to achieve mass adoption. Second, don’t think of them as a fitness device. They are actually digital sensors that interact with a mobile application and data connection. With a little imagination entrepreneurs will develop a method to use this class of device to identify an individual by interrogating its unique “code.” Once attached to your mobile app and voluntarily authenticating, a traveler will eventually interact with sensors inside airports, hotels and within rental cars themselves. Why not just interact with the mobile device? Because the fitness band is personal, always on, always worn and never dropped into the deep recesses of a laptop bag. Sensor devices will enable the hotel industry to essentially recognize and personalize on-location services. Consider the impact of your new ability to develop even greater customer data, blend online and offline behavioral patterns, and then use that information to optimize product experiences and generate marketing opportunities.

Digital eyewear will provide an unparalleled view with virtual reality. So far, the pricey and dorky looking Google Glass eyewear is nowhere near as commonplace as the fitness band. In spite of the lack of conspicuous consumption, Google Glass visits to web sites have grown eight times in the past five months alone, making it the fastest growing new device to access the Web. At this stage Google Glass is most readily used to consume digital video, with sports video viewing the most common use.

Are you rolling your eyes thinking this sounds way too expensive and complicated to become a reality at your hotel? Yes it does involve a complex and integrated technology platform, but actually the expense and complication is a barrier to entry for your competitors as well. There will be a significant first mover advantage for the hotels that are planning for this now. Since it has less than one percent penetration and only three percent of web visits to travel sites, Google glass is not even a blip on your hotel marketing team’s radar screen. So you’ll probably wait to deal with it until later. You still haven’t even cracked the code on mobile devices yet, right? Well fair warning, eyewear tech is just one evolutionary step and a major price drop away from mass adoption. You will be scrambling if you haven’t even thought about how you could alter your hotels to incorporate digital eyewear.

The hotel of the future is vastly more personal. Travel mobile applications are already leading the pack in terms of total minutes of use. Hotel applications will be even more engaging once they interact with on-location sensors. Consider a future where your hotel’s mobile application senses a fitness band or digital eyewear and asks the traveler if they want to register it. Once you build geo-fencing into the application, it will know when that traveler arrives at the destination. You will project a message containing their room number onto their device and ask them if they’d like to e-check in (or better yet, let them set their preferences to always e-check in). Then send your entry system their fitness band identification number, which will allow them to wave their wrist over the lock for entry. Once they are in their room, they will receive a message to their eye-

wear asking if they would like room service, concierge services, to see a hotel map or what time they’d like to receive their pre-selected breakfast. You will offer the traveler the ability to scan their room in virtual mode and point out features contained in the room (like where the hair dryer or ironing board is located). But you won’t stop at the room itself. You will enable VR mode within the fitness center, and restaurants and bars, and in the gift shops and lobbies. You will arm your concierge and front desk stations to read the fitness band id and provide the customer’s name to the attendant along with their preset preferences so they can greet your customer with a name and know their loyalty status level.

Will the Internet of Things be too much to handle? Are you rolling your eyes thinking this sounds way too expensive and complicated to become a reality at your hotel? Yes it does involve a complex and integrated technology platform, but actually the expense and complication is a barrier to entry for your competitors as well. There will be a significant first mover advantage for the hotels that are planning for this now. The investment and technological complexity will give larger chains an advantage over independent hotels, but entrepreneurs will rise up to support the independents and many new businesses will fill the gap. Forward-thinking industry executives will embrace these trends and take advantage of them. Go forth and conquer. 

HITEC 2014 Special Report